Going Home
by FlakJacket
Summary: Harry discovers something he never knew about Severus and about himself. Reviews plz!!!!!!!!
1. Default Chapter

"Going Home"  
  
Harry swooped down toward the Snitch, the tiny golden ball just inches from his grasp. Then he felt his faithful Firebolt buck beneath him, "Whoa!" he shouted, gripping it as tightly as he could without falling off. His broomstick was jerking about abnormally, and Harry couldn't do much other than try to grip it firmly between his legs and try to keep it clenched firmly in his hands. His efforts, however, were to no avail, and with another jerk he'd lost his hold on his broomstick, and was now hanging off of it by only his legs. "What's going on with Harry's broomstick?!" came Lee Jordan's voice over the large purple megaphone, "The Gryffindor Seeker is in trouble!" Fred and George Weasley both tried to catch Harry and pull him off his broomstick safely but any time they tried it bucked away from them. Harry knew he couldn't hold out much longer; he couldn't keep himself up by his legs for the rest of eternity. He tried to think of what he could do to save himself but he knew that as a Hogwarts fifth-year he wouldn't know any spells to correct whatever was jinxing his broom. This had happened once before in Harry's first year when Professor Quirrell had been jinxing Harry's broom, but that still didn't answer his question; who was jinxing his broom now and why? Then Harry noticed that Crabbe and Goyle were huddled in a corner, and Harry thought he could see a wand pointed at him. 'Figures! One of Malfoy's ideas probably,' he thought glumly, still unable to think of how to fix his problem.  
  
The broomstick slammed upwards against Harry's calves and he groaned in pain and then horror as he felt his legs slip away. 'This is it, this is the end,' Harry thought as he looked down at the ground, a good two hundred and fifty feet below him. He didn't bother screaming; it's not like everyone in the stadium wasn't watching him plummet to the pitch as it was. He glanced up to see his Firebolt, still bucking in the air as if it were trying to dislodge an invisible rider when Harry heard, "ACCIO FIREBOLT!" The broomstick sped away from Harry as he fell and Harry barely caught a glance of a black blur jumping on it. Harry looked down and saw the pitch of the Quidditch field screaming toward him and put his hands in front of his face in a feeble gesture...  
  
"WHOOOOOSH!"  
  
Harry opened an eye and realized someone had a tight grip about his ankle. He looked up from his upside down position and saw, to his amazement, Professor Snape riding his broomstick. Harry's jaw dropped and Snape saw it, "Oh shut up Potter," he grumbled as he dropped Harry on the ground from a safe two feet up. "I don't believe what I've just seen! Professor Snape has saved Harry Potter's life!" came Lee Jordan's voice over the megaphone. Harry felt his stomach shift uncomfortably, 'Don't remind me Lee, don't remind me.'  
  
***  
  
Harry climbed through the portrait hole with a lot still on his mind when he saw Hermione and Ron sitting in the common room. Ron was looking at him with a wide-eyed expression on his face, "He saved your life!" Harry nodded slowly as he sat down, "He's done that once before though. Don't know why he picked now to make such a spectacular save in front of everybody." Ron still hadn't snapped out of his daze, "He hates you." "Yes Ron I know!" said Harry irritably. Harry had been feeling rather sore about the whole Quidditch incident since he'd finished putting away his Quidditch robes in the locker room. Why did Snape have to do that? Why?  
  
Hermione frowned, "It's not like he barfed on your broomstick Harry; I don't understand why this is that big of a deal. So a professor saved a student's life, big deal. Just shows he's got some guts, that's all." "Yeah, but this isn't just any professor we're talking about here," said Ron, "we're talking about Snape. Saving Harry. That doesn't make any sense. At all." "And although he didn't barf on my broomstick he still sat on it," said Harry. "Be polishing it for a week you will," said Ron shaking his head sadly. "What a waste." "Oh for goodness sake you two!" said Hermione, jumping out of her armchair. "This is ridiculous! You should be thanking him right now Harry! You should be licking his boots but instead you and Ron are up here trying to figure out why he would do something like that for you! Well you two can keep on cooking up reasons, but I'll be content knowing the truth!" And she stormed up to her dormitory and slammed the door shut.  
  
"What truth?" said Ron.   
  
Harry shrugged.  
  
"Anyway Harry, did you see Crabbe and Goyle? I think they were jinxing your broom on Malfoy's orders," said Ron. Harry nodded, "Yeah I know, I caught a glimpse of them while I was being thrown around up there. I don't think they'll get in trouble for it though because we were probably the only two people in the stadium that saw them doing it. And of course Malfoy won't get in trouble, that slithering little rat." Ron shook his head, "Look forget about Malfoy, there's something I wanted to show you." From his pocket Ron produced an old battered set of Omnioculars that Harry recognized as the pair he'd bought for Ron at the Quidditch World Cup last year. "I bring these to every game now," said Ron, "and I recorded Snape on your broomstick. It's pretty...erm...amazing I guess. Check it out." Harry put the Omnioculars up to his glasses and pressed the green play button. There he was dangling on his broomstick, then it gave one last buck and tossed him off. "It looks bad even from here," said Harry as he continued to watch. He was plummeting toward the ground, then he saw his Firebolt go zooming off; the Omniocular view shifted to the crowd and there was Snape. He made a running jump and landed on the Firebolt and speeded to Harry, swerved upside and caught him, just barely, by the ankle.  
  
"This is nuts," said Harry as he pressed the replay button. "You're telling me!" said Ron, "It was so weird watching that from the crowd. I mean him. Saving your life!" Harry felt his stomach turn again, "Don't remind me about it Ron. I don't like this at all."  
***  
  
Hermione didn't stay mad at them for very long, and the three soon found themselves heading down to the dungeons the next afternoon for Potions lessons. Ron and Harry had settled on not mentioning the previous day's Quidditch incident anymore in front of Hermione since she was so hot-tempered about it, but Harry heard Ron distinctly grumble, "Stupid old git," when they went into the Potions classroom. The rest of class went by without much incident other than Neville blowing up his cauldron and getting a detention, and finally Harry decided to do something that had been wearing on his mind for quite a while now. As soon as the bell rang he "accidentally" spilled his armadillo bile and told Ron and Hermione that he'd catch up with them later. He was alone in the room. With Snape.   
  
Involuntarily, Harry shivered.  
  
He stood up after he'd finished cleaning up the bile and packed his Potions ingredients away and then hefted his books under one arm, preparing to leave. 'Don't ask, don't ask, don't ask,' Harry ran through his mind as he walked to the door. But he had to ask, even if he gave him that usual nasty cold stare. Harry stopped in front of Snape's desk and said, "Why did you save my life yesterday?" Snape didn't look up from his seat, still grading papers. "Go to your next class Potter," he snapped. Harry wanted to slap him in the head but decided against it; he knew his efforts when it came to Snape were pointless anyway.  
  
***  
  
"First Hogsmeade weekend of the year! Great!" said Ron as he read the notice that had been pinned to the common room door. "What's that Ron?" said Fred out of the corner of the common room where he'd been reading a magazine. "First Hogsmeade weekend Fred! Be able to stock up on more Dungbombs," said George as he climbed through the portrait hole, answering for Ron. "Ah, excellent, as I'm in need of a new Fanged Frisbee," Fred answered, slapping his magazine on his knee with glee. 'Like they couldn't have gone to Hogsmeade at any time,' thought Harry, remembering the passage to Hogsmeade through one of the school statues. "What do you reckon?" said Ron, "A butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks maybe?" Harry shrugged, "I guess so, as long as Fred and George don't try to give us the slip with one of their Canary Creams while we're there." Fred grinned from his spot in the corner, "What makes you think we'd try to do something like that?"  
  
***  
  
Harry had been feeling a bit drowsy during his visit to Hogsmeade; his scar had been keeping him awake all last night. "I'm going back to Hogwarts," he'd told Ron and Hermione, "don't worry about me, I'm just tired." He'd left early, although it was still six o'clock in the evening, and had been walking up the dirt road to Hogwarts when he spotted something in the road. "Lumos!" he said, lighting his wand. 'That looks like the handle of a broomstick,' he thought as he bent over it. "FIREBOLT" was engraved on it and Harry gasped, "My broomstick?!" It was shattered, in total disrepair, or so it appeared. He knelt over and picked up the handle and then gasped as the world spun around him.  
  
***  
  
"Ouch!" he grunted when he'd fallen. He was still clutching the broomstick handle, only now he was in a house. Then Harry felt his blood run cold; Voldemort was standing only a few feet away from him. He cackled his high, cold laugh, "Harry Potter, we meet again." Harry stood up slowly and tossed away the broomstick handle. "Clever, wasn't it? Turning your busted broomstick into a portkey?" he said slyly. Harry felt a pang of guilt, 'I'm never touching anything suspicious looking ever again.' Then Harry noticed that he and Voldemort weren't the only ones in the room; Snape was standing beside Harry. His eyes barely flickered down to meet Harry's then went back to Voldemort, who laughed insanely. "I've waited so long for this," said Voldemort, "and after that little fiasco last year at the Tri-Wizard Tournament, you will not escape me again," as he looked down at Harry. But then his attention shifted to Snape, "Tell me Severus, faithful Death Eater," he said with a snicker. "I asked you once what was the most important thing to you and you said 'Loyalty to my master.' But even then I was certain you were lying, so I'll ask you again; what is the most important thing to you?" Snape stared back at Voldemort unblinkingly, "Loyalty to my master."   
  
"So now my 'faithful' Death Eater is lying to me?" said Voldemort with a fierce leer. Harry shuddered; he knew what was going to happen if Snape answered him truthfully. Voldemort was probably going to kill or torture whatever was most important to him. Another power trip for Voldemort, watching Snape suffer while he destroyed whatever meant the most to him. "Leave him alone!" said Harry angrily, surprised at his own daring. He withdrew his wand and fingered it in the sleeve of his robe secretly, wanting to curse Voldemort into a million pieces. Voldemort raised an eyebrow, red eyes glowing, "What's that?" he said softly. "Stay out of it Potter," Snape said warningly. Voldemort's head snapped back to look at Snape, "Are you concerned for the boy?" Snape shook his head, "No, of course not master, I only wish to..." "Shut up you insufferable fool," said Voldemort angrily. "Don't try to weasel your way out of it. I tire of the way you slither out of my punishments so this time I'm going to be blunt." He hefted his wand at Snape and said, "Imperio!"  
  
'Oh no...' Harry thought. Harry remembered back to a year ago when Mad-Eye Moody had put the Imperius curse on him. It wasn't an easy curse to throw off and easy to succumb to. 'He's gonna give in, he won't be able to handle it,' thought Harry as he watched Snape try to fight off the curse. "Now let's try again," said Voldemort as he paced the floor casually. "What means the most to my 'faithful' Death Eater, teacher at Hogwarts, Professor Severus Snape?" Snape fell to his knees, clutching his head. 'Come on, don't give in, don't give in,' thought Harry hopefully. Snape's mouth opened, "H-H-H..." "Yes? Come on, let's hear it!" said Voldemort gleefully. "H-Harry...P-P-P...Potter..." said Snape, letting out a gasp like he'd been underwater for five minutes. Harry felt his mouth open slowly, "What?" he whispered.  
  
"What?" snarled Voldemort. Snape fell to the floor as Voldemort released him from the Imperius Curse for a moment. He was gasping for breath, supporting himself on his hands and knees, but he glanced at Harry and their eyes met. He shut his eyes and looked away, still trying to regain a foothold on himself. Harry kept staring at him, completely bewildered when Voldemort said, "Well, this is interesting because I never saw this little fiasco the entire time. But why would you care so much for a boy that absolutely despises you?" said Voldemort. He aimed his wand at Snape once again, "Come on, let's hear this out too. I'm very interested. Imperio!" Snape continued to fight for a few more minutes until his will was finally spent, "He's my...n-n-nephew..." Harry's head spun irrationally, "What?!" said both he and Voldemort in unison.  
  
"Ohh, so even Harry Potter himself didn't know?" said Voldemort as he released Snape from the Curse again. "Well, hasn't this been a wonderful family reunion!" he said mockingly, "But now I think it's time it went from reunion to wake. But first..." he said, "let's have a little fun with the Boy Who Lived!" He aimed his wand at Harry, "Crucio!" Harry didn't know anything about blocking any of the Unforgivable Curses and was waiting to feel the white hot pain of the Cruciatus Curse when he heard Snape screaming. Harry opened his eyes and saw him writhing on the floor uncontrollably, Voldemort clearly as surprised as Harry that Snape would jump almost mindlessly in front of such a painful curse for Harry. But that gave Harry all the time he needed, "Petrificus Totalus!" he shrieked as he whipped out his wand and aimed at Voldemort. His limbs snapped together and he fell backward, and Harry could clearly hear him trying to curse Harry through his locked jaw. Snape was still shaking on the floor, despite the release from the Cruciatus Curse. Harry helped him to his feet and they both looked down at Voldemort.  
  
"Accio wand!" Snape croaked wearily, and Voldemort's wand shot straight into Snape's hand. He looked down at it in silence, then lifted it up, wandtip pointed at Voldemort. Voldemort's red, gleaming eyes grew wide and Harry heard him scream through his locked jaw in horror. "AVADA KEDAVRA!" Snape howled. Harry stared as green light poured from the wand and executed Voldemort, a form of what looked like what might have been a soul flying out of his body. The room was filled with a bleak silence as Snape limped over to Voldemort's body and spat on it. "Is he really dead? Or will he come back again?" said Harry quietly. Snape shook his head, "No. He's dead." "How do you know that he won't come back again?" said Harry. He limped back over to Harry, "Because the first time he 'died' a body wasn't found. He just vanished. This time though..." he looked back at Voldemort, "...this time his body was left behind, and his soul was executed. That's how a proper Avada Kedavra spell is performed."  
  
Harry slumped against the doorway and shut his eyes, "It's finally over with. I can sleep without him giving me nightmares." 'Or worrying about him killing my best friends,' he added tiredly. Snape sank down beside him, craning his head against the wall, "Yeah, something like that for me too." Harry laughed joylessly, "I've got to sound stupid complaining about nightmares around you when you're out defending humanity from a scumbag every night by risking your life." He shrugged, "It doesn't sound that stupid." They both chuckled lightly, then Harry realized exactly what was going on.  
  
'I'm laughing with my Potions Master whom I've hated ever since I've met him. But he's actually my uncle and we're sitting about five yards away from Voldemort's dead body.' Harry thought about it for a minute, 'Sounds about the norm for me.' "Come on," said Harry, standing up, "we've got to get back to Hogwarts." He helped Snape get back onto his feet again, "Listen," said Harry as he prepared to pick up his battered broomstick again and use the portkey to get back home. "I'm sorry about how I was being such a punk in your classes." Snape shrugged, "You weren't being a punk, you were being a kid. Besides, I was pretty hard on you as it was. Had to be though." Harry thought for a moment, "How do you figure that?" Snape sighed, "Harry, it's a very, very long story."  
  
***  
  
They'd used the Portkey to travel back to the road to Hogwarts, both of them clutching Voldemort's dead body as they hefted it up to the school grounds. "This has got to look so ridiculous from one of the windows up there," said Harry. "What's that? Oh that's just Harry and Professor Snape carrying Voldemort's dead body into the school." Snape laughed, "You're probably right, but I think it's more important that we get to Dumbledore before we start telling dead Voldemort jokes."  
  
***  
  
"I'm going after him," said Dumbledore finally after his argument with Professor McGonagall. He was descending the stairs to get off grounds to Apparate to Severus, McGonagall in hot pursuit trying to stop him, when he heard two people laughing hysterically. "No, no, how about this; how many Voldemorts does it take to screw in a light bulb?" said Severus' voice from around the corner. Severus and Harry appeared, carrying a body in between the two of them and Dumbledore and McGonagall rushed to them, "What happened?" cried McGonagall. "But that's...!" "Voldemort," said Dumbledore gravely, "dead." Harry and Severus both dropped the body, "Good riddance too," said Harry lightly. Severus laughed weakly, "Yeah, no kidding..." and he promptly collapsed.  
  
***  
  
Severus woke up a week later in a large, soft bed in the hospital wing. He tried to sit up but discovered that it hurt too much and instead continued to lie in the bed. He still felt some of the aching pains of the Cruciatus Curse echoing through his body, but most of the pain had gone. He looked at the nightstand beside his bed and noticed there was a small package there for him. Despite the pains in his arm, he picked it up carefully and read the card. It was from Harry. "Every Flavor Beans," he said as he opened the carton. "If it hadn't been for that bogie flavored one I ate in my fifth year I might still be snacking on these."  
  
***  
  
There was a small but significant meeting in Dumbledore's office two days later, Severus now mostly recovered. Dumbledore, Severus, Harry, Sirius, Remus Lupin, Hermione, and Ron were all seated in Dumbledore's large, circular office. Dumbledore had forbidden Harry from telling anyone about what had happened with him, Severus, and Voldemort, and thus Hermione and Ron wouldn't leave Harry alone about it. Dumbledore had therefore very kindly invited the two into the meeting. Harry explained everything to them and they listened gravely, but then Ron burst into laughter when Harry said, "And Professor Snape is my uncle." Ron laughed hysterically but then noticed that nobody else was laughing with him and he immediately turned his laugh into a hacking cough. "As for how I'm related to him is really up to him to explain," said Harry, facing Severus questioningly. Severus leaned back in his chair; his joints were still aching irritably. "Yes I'd imagine I owe you quite a bit of an explanation. It goes back quite a way, although I'm sure you're willing to listen.  
  
"My real name isn't Severus Snape, although I suppose it is in a certain sense. My first true name was Severus Potter. Yes, I'm James' brother," he said, catching Ron's stare. "Snape was actually our mother's maiden name but I liked it better than the name Potter so I told people to quit calling me Potter and start calling me Snape when I was about nine or ten years old. I had it legally changed when I was eighteen. However, despite my close relation to James we never told anyone and thus everyone assumed we just abhorred each other via Gryffindor versus Slytherin. It was actually a case of sibling rivalry.  
  
"I started despising James at an early age because of the usual stupid things; mostly jealousy because our parents adored James and never particularly cared for me. Then there was me getting Sorted into Slytherin; my parents hated that. They wanted me in the noble house, Gryffindor, the best in their opinion, and that's where James went. James was everything that I wasn't, and I really hated him for that. Everybody loved him because not only was he Head Boy, but because he was great on the Quidditch field, and he was also great at getting out of punishments for wandering around the school grounds after dark with his friends," he said, eyeing Lupin and Sirius. "I tried to compete with that in my own form by learning everything I could about the Dark Arts, but that seemed to distance me from people more than it did anything else. When I ended up a Death Eater that was the final straw for my parents and they severed all ties from me. I was now the only family I had left, even though I still wanted to have James as my brother because I was lonely and deep down I still loved him. I knew his feelings were somewhat reciprocate toward me, but that he was somewhat ashamed of me because I was a Death Eater.  
  
"I resented that a lot, and I wanted to change and go back to the right side while I still could. I told Dumbledore about my situation and he accepted me as a Death Eater turned spy. His trust has meant everything to me since then. I just wish I had switched sides sooner; I still regret that and I often wonder if it would have saved your parents' lives. Harry, did you know that your parents' house collapsed after Voldemort killed them?" Harry nodded, "Yeah, Voldemort destroyed it." Severus shook his head bitterly, "No, I destroyed it. After Voldemort vanished the first time after the curse bounced off you I Apparated to their house and found them dead and you with your forehead cut open. I was so angry with myself and Voldemort that I couldn't hold it in. Do you know what happens when a wizard bottles up their anger, Harry?" He nodded slowly, "They make things happen that probably shouldn't." He laughed softly, "Well, that's putting it nicely. Because I was angry I slammed my fist against the wall of the house and it crumbled to the ground." "I didn't know you could destroy a house if you were angry enough," said Harry, "I've only made glasses explode." Severus smiled at him weakly, "When you're a strong enough wizard you can destroy more than just houses.  
  
"Although I was your uncle and legally your next of kin I knew I couldn't take you. I was a Death Eater turned spy, one of the most wanted people on the planet; I'd be endangering your life if I took you so I left you for Lily's Muggle relatives. I knew you'd be safe there, especially with Dumbledore's protection." Dumbledore smiled but did not interrupt. "After Voldemort's subsequent defeat which I suspected was not final, Dumbledore offered me the position of Potions Master here at the school. I checked on you whenever I had the opportunity, especially at night when I knew your aunt and uncle on Lily's side wouldn't be freaked out from seeing a body Apparate out of a fireplace via the Floo Network. I don't think they ever found out about that, but sometimes I would sit by your cupboard for hours like a guardian, not even knowing why I was doing it. Just scared that Voldemort would come back and kill you I guess. Voldemort killing you was the one thing that scared me the most, and I put all sorts of charms on their house to try to hide you from Voldemort. It was almost amusing sometimes because I would think, 'He's dead, he's never coming back, you can stop worrying,' but even then I knew that was a lie.  
  
"Thank God I did that Harry, thank God I stayed alert throughout all those years. I might have never seen him coming otherwise. When you arrived at Hogwarts I knew I was going to be hard on you because I had to. I couldn't show favoritism to my last living relative no matter how important he was to me; any favoritism might look suspicious to a Death Eater. Especially James and Lily Potter's son; I couldn't be caught saying so much as a polite hello to you because it would be risking not just my neck but yours too. I did, however, protect you during your first year when Quirrell was trying to kill you. Although you, Dumbledore, Granger, and Weasley knew at the end of the year that I was trying to save you, Dumbledore and I did nothing to stop the rumors of my Death Eater traits from circulating throughout the school. If a true Death Eater caught word that I was saving Harry Potter's life I would have been dead before sundown. Let the kids think I was an evil man who was a Death Eater at heart; all that did was save my skin as much as yours.  
  
"I was careless at the last Quidditch match though, and I blame myself for that. If I hadn't saved you on a broomstick and instead have done it quietly using a spell I might never have needed to have that encounter with Voldemort. Although he's dead now because of it, I still hate the fact that he figured it out because of my own stupidity. I also hate how you had to be there; after all the things you've seen Harry, even then I didn't want you to see me killing another person, if that's what we can call him. I'm just glad that all this is finally over with; now maybe I can act like a genuine relative instead of a jackal," he finished, "er, that is, if you don't mind," he added hastily. "Mind? Mind?!" said Harry, "Voldemort is dead, my Potions Master doesn't really hate me, and he's actually my uncle? Why would I mind that?!" Dumbledore suddenly said, "Miss Granger, do you have something to say?" The entire time Severus had been letting all of this out Hermione looked about ready to burst. "Well, erm, I just..." "Come on Hermione, out with it!" said Ron. "I knew about Professor Snape being related to Harry for three and a half months!" she finally said sheepishly. "What?! And you never told me?!" said Harry angrily. She shrugged. Severus' face contorted with concern, "How did you figure that out?"  
  
Hermione let out a sigh, "Well I was looking at the badges in the trophy case when I saw James Potter listed under Head Boy. The thing is they put the parents' names on there too, so instead of it just reading their name and year they made Head Boy it also reads who their parents are. Like if Harry made Head Boy (Ron snickered) it would read, 'Harry Potter son of James Potter and Lily Evans 2001' instead of 'Harry Potter 2001.' I noticed that James' mother's last name was Snape, and I remember thinking that that was really weird. Then I saw that you got an award for Special Services to the School and you and James had the same parents! Naturally I was very curious about that and I was going to ask Harry about it but I knew he really hated you so I figured that he wouldn't know about it and there really was no reason to go upsetting him anyway so I let it be. Then I came across Harry's photo album one morning when I went up to the boys' dormitory to wake up Harry and Ron because they were going to be late for Herbology. Ron had already left though, and Harry was in the bathroom so I waited for him and I saw his photo album of his parents sitting on his bed.  
  
"I thought there would be no harm done if I leafed through it a little bit when I came across a picture from his parents' wedding and there you were in the background! I didn't think Harry had noticed that though or else he would have went ballistic. I didn't say anything about it but a few days later I asked Harry if I could see his photo album. Remember that Harry?" she asked. He nodded, "Yeah, I was wondering why you wanted to see it." "Right, well I looked through it some more and I saw that you popped up in a couple more pictures than that, but you were typically in the background and no where near James or Lily so Harry never picked up on seeing you in any of the photos. It was around then that I noticed how much you and James look alike. You both have the same eyes and hair, and that was basically the final clincher on the whole thing for me. Although one thing still bothers me though." Severus let out a sigh of amazement, "What's that?" Hermione shrugged, "Well I'm not saying that it doesn't happen or anything but I just thought it was kind of funny how although your hair looks the same, James' was all untidy and yours is rather...erm..." Severus laughed, "Greasy?" "Um, yes that's it," said Hermione.  
  
Severus smiled and pulled out his wand and placed the tip against his head and muttered a short incantation beneath his breath. Soft, golden light poured from the wandtip and for a moment nobody could see behind the golden cloud. Then it cleared, and Harry gasped, "You look just like...like me!" Severus shrugged, "Actually you look like me if I do say so myself. When James and I were growing up people wouldn't shut up about how much we looked alike so I just...changed my hair a bit and lengthened my nose. It's really a very simple spell; I was casting things like that on James while he slept when I was ten. He really used to hate that." They looked almost identical now, except for the eyes. Harry's pools of dripping emerald and Severus' a deep, almost soulful black. His hair was jutting out everywhere like Harry's, an untidy mess, and his nose looked much more like Harry's. "You should have left it like that instead of becoming the renowned hook-nosed greasy-haired git," said Sirius with a shake of his head.   
  
Severus shrugged, "Oh well. Anyway, that's really not the point of the whole thing. The first was to explain everything to most of the people who counted amongst us, but there is also a second." He turned to Harry, "Do you know what this means now that I don't have to act like an imbecile towards you?" Harry thought about it for a minute and then he understood, "I can live with you if I want to." Severus nodded silently, "I'm not saying you have to. I mean, Sirius is your godfather and your legal guardian but you do have the choice of living with me since I am an actual relative." Harry leaned back and thought about it as best as he could. On the one hand, he could live with Sirius, whom he got along with perfectly well. On the other, he could live with his newly found uncle whom he didn't really know all that well. 'You don't know the good side of him you mean,' said the one half of his brain. He let out a sigh, "Erm, can I just live here in the school during the summer and visit you both? I can't decide who I want to live with!"  
  
***  
  
Due to some sort of conflict going on at Hogwarts during the summer Dumbledore couldn't let Harry stay at Hogwarts. They did, however, reach a conclusion; "Harry, why don't you live with one of them for the first half of the summer and the other for the second half?" He shrugged, "Actually I kind of like that idea."  
  
The school year ended without much of an event and Harry soon found himself packing up his stuff. Because Severus lived in the local area, however, he didn't need to ride the Hogwarts Express to any place in particular so he went down to the platform and saw Ron and Hermione off. They both leaned out the window to give him their last goodbyes when Ron looked over Harry's shoulder at Severus, who was leaning against the ticket station waiting for Harry. "You will be all right won't you?" said Ron, eyeing Severus suspiciously. "He'll be fine Ron!" said Hermione, slapping him on the shoulder playfully. Harry looked back over his shoulder and saw a familiar black dog standing next to Severus; it changed shape and became his godfather, Sirius Black. They were both watching him with very kind looks. Harry looked back at his two best friends, "You know what Ron? I'm better than all right. I'm home."  
  
Based on an idea by Mom 


	2. Destroying the Immortal

"Destroying the Immortal"  
  
Ron gave Severus an odd and suspicious look as he came inside, following Harry up to his room. "You're mad, do you know that?" said Ron when he'd put his trunk down. "How did you reckon that?" asked Harry. Ron shrugged as he sat down on the bed, "I dunno...I mean I know he's your uncle and everything but..." "But he's still an evil git to you," said Harry, finishing for him. Ron sighed, "Yeah I guess so. I mean no! He's not evil necessarily, just..." "Really mean to you?" said Severus' voice from the doorway. Ron jumped, "Erm...yes; wait no! I...oh forget it. I can't explain it anyway," he said with a roll of his eyes. "No I know what you mean. I was very rude to you and the rest of the students; I had to be," he said. Harry shook his head, "Let's just forget about the whole thing. How about some Quidditch practice Ron? I don't want to stay inside all day, and we're both going to be needing the practice time." "Yeah, especially with me being the new Keeper," said Ron proudly. Harry smiled inwardly; he was very glad indeed that his best friend had made the team.  
  
They practiced in a large field behind the house for a few hours, throwing golf balls back and forth or racing their broomsticks against each other. Ron had just bought a Nimbus Two Thousand and One two weeks ago with the money he'd saved up from working at his brothers' store, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Despite the good quality of the Nimbus line, however, it was still outstripped by Harry's new broom, Sub Zero. After his faithful Firebolt had been destroyed by Voldemort, he'd been left without a broomstick for a few months until his birthday. He'd been wondering what the long, thin package was before he'd opened it. "That's from the both of us," Sirius had said, glancing at Severus with a grin. Harry had been more than ecstatic; he'd been dreading the opening Quidditch game of the next year, thinking he would have to ride on one of the school's old Shooting Star broomsticks.  
  
After another hour or two of practicing they were just about ready to go inside when Fred and George, Ron's older brothers, Apparated in the middle of the field. "Ron! Come on! We've got problems at the store and we're gonna need your help!" cried George, waving at him frantically. Ron and Harry both landed next to the twins, "What happened?" asked Ron. "A Dungbomb went off in the store room; it's set off all the other Dungbombs and it's starting on the Filibuster Fireworks," said Fred with a shake of his head. "All that good merchandise; wasted." Ron frowned, "How'd it get set off?" George rolled his eyes, "Lee Jordan was back there stocking things up and I guess he thought it'd be funny to set one off. He's covered in dung right now though, so I don't think his joke is so funny to him anymore. Trying to surprise Fred, he was. Now he's washing himself off in the bathroom. We don't have a lot of time though now come on, let's go!" Fred grabbed Ron by the wrist and with a "Back in a while Harry!" the three of them had Apparated to the Weasley store.  
  
Harry shrugged and mounted his broomstick, feeling eager to get back to the house since he still had to buy his school supplies later on that afternoon. On his way up to his room, however, Severus stopped him in the hall, holding a large, battered trunk in his hands. "Come on, there's something I want to show you." He led Harry back outside and opened the trunk; Harry gasped. "Whoa, cool!" he exclaimed. Inside the trunk was a complete set of Quidditch balls; a red Quaffle, two tied down black Bludgers, two Beater bats, and a Golden Snitch. He pulled the Snitch out of its' slot and stared at it, amazed that Severus would keep a trunk full of Quidditch equipment in his house. "Where did this come from?" said Harry in wonder as he looked at the old trunk. "At one time it belonged to my father and it got passed down to James. I wasn't one much for playing Quidditch, although it's all right to watch though. So rightfully it's yours, I was just waiting for the right time to give it to you. And now, since you have your friend Ron here and you both have new broomsticks I thought now was as good a time as any to give it to you. Do you like it?"  
  
"Like it?! Of course I like it! This is excellent! Ron and I can practice with real Quidditch balls now or we can have games in the backyard..." said Harry happily. But although he was thrilled to have a set of Quidditch balls, he was also sad. 'This belonged to my dad,' he thought as he picked up the Quaffle and hefted it in his hands. He put it back in its' slot and then looked up at Severus, "Thanks. I really like it. This is the only thing I've got that belonged to my dad besides his old Invisibility Cloak." Severus rolled his eyes, "That stupid thing...James got away with everything using it. That and the Marauder's Map too; and I believe you were using both in your fourth year in the middle of the night?"   
  
Harry didn't say anything; only smiled. In his fourth year, Harry had sneaked out of bed in the middle of the night to solve his dragon's egg clue, wearing the Invisibility Cloak and using the Marauder's Map to check if anyone else was around the castle. He'd dropped the egg, however, after accidentally putting his foot through one of the trick steps on the staircase and the Map had gone fluttering away from him. Filch the caretaker had found the egg only feet away from Harry and then Snape had shown up. Harry had just barely gotten away without either of them catching him. "You knew I was there though, didn't you?" said Harry. He shrugged, "I always knew whenever you were around. Even though I couldn't see you I just knew you were the school champion out of bed. It's in your nature; James was the same way." "Well you know I had a really good reason for being out of bed," said Harry. "Oh really? Let's hear it when we get to Diagon Alley."  
  
***  
  
After traveling via Floo Powder to Diagon Alley Harry explained why it was all right for him to be out of bed in the middle of the night. Severus didn't think much of his explanation; "You could have just gone to the Prefects' Bathroom earlier on in the evening instead of at half past twelve." Severus had walked into Flourish and Blotts when Harry was just about to reply but then he heard a familiar voice sneer in his general direction. "Oh look, it's Potty! But where's his best friend Weasel?" said Draco Malfoy. Harry turned around, "Shut up Malfoy, or else I'll have my friend turn you into another amazing bouncing ferret!" Malfoy's eyes became slits of anger, "Be quiet Potter. And I doubt your friend, whoever he is, has enough skill to turn me into another ferret as it is anyway. Especially with the trash you hang around with." Severus came walking back out of Flourish and Blotts to ask Harry what he was doing when he saw Malfoy. "Hello Mr. Malfoy," he said sternly. "Professor Snape, Potter is making fun of me and he won't leave me alone!" Malfoy whined. Harry shrugged and said flatly, "I know. I'm out of control." Severus covered his mouth with his hand, trying not to snicker. He knew Malfoy was lying; the boy had been a constant liar since he'd arrived at Hogwarts. He was no good in his Potions class either; the only reason why he passed him each year had been because of who his father was. But now that Voldemort was dead, he needn't worry about any further nuisances from the Death Eaters.  
  
"Well what am I going to do with you Potter?" said Severus in a mock angry tone and a roll of the eyes. "School hasn't started yet so I can't give you a detention...hmm...here's an idea. How about you solve your own problems for once instead of crying to a teacher. How does that sound?" Draco's jaw dropped, "What?" "You heard me, now bugger off. I'm busy buying Harry's school supplies," he said, pushing Harry in the general direction of Flourish and Blotts. They left Malfoy standing in the middle of Diagon Alley, an expression of bewilderment on his face. Harry howled with laughter when they were inside the shop. "I don't believe it! That was brilliant! He'll be confused for weeks!"   
  
Severus grinned, "I know."  
  
***  
  
Harry and Severus returned home two hours later, laid down with all of his school supplies. Harry found Ron out practicing Quidditch on his broomstick in the backyard and Harry lugged the trunk of Quidditch balls outside. "Wow! That's really cool Harry! Where'd you get it from?" said Ron when he saw the trunk's contents. Ron was more than a little amazed that Severus of all people had given it to him. "I don't believe he gave that to you," he said. Then Harry told him about meeting Malfoy in Diagon Alley, and Ron whooped with laughter when he told about what had happened. "Malfoy is gonna be furious! He won't be able to pass any of his Potions classes now that Snape doesn't have to like Malfoy anymore!" Harry smiled, "Isn't life wonderful sometimes?"  
  
***  
  
Later that night Harry, Ron, and Severus walked down to the Three Broomsticks where they were supposed to meet Fred, George, Lee, Hermione, and Sirius for dinner. They sat down at the table to find that Fred, George, and Lee hadn't arrived yet; "Still scrubbing Dungbombs off the floor no doubt," said Ron with a shake of his head. "Why? What happened with Dungbombs?" said Hermione. Sirius laughed, "Bit of an accident in their store today." "I didn't know you knew about that Sirius!" said Ron. He shrugged, "Well, I was in there looking at some...erm...stuff when they went off in the back room. Kind of hard not to know what was going on what with Lee running out of the store covered in dung and shouting curse words." Harry snorted back a laugh, imagining Lee the Weasley twins' best friend caught up in a situation like that.  
  
An hour later after everyone had finished eating they finally showed up, looking very tired indeed. The three slumped into their chairs and George said, "We're never stocking the Fireworks next to the Dungbombs again. Ever." Fred nodded, "Yeah, we couldn't find any of that Mrs. Skower's Magical Mess Remover stuff so we had to clean it up. By hand." Lee simply gave a remote "Hi," and then put his head down on the table; he was asleep a minute later. Then Fred noticed that Severus was also sitting at the table; he leapt backward out of his seat, knocking the chair over. "Hey! What're you doing here?!" he said, eyeing him suspiciously. George stood up next to Fred, glaring at Severus angrily, "Who invited you anyway?" Ron rolled his eyes, "Didn't I tell you both about this before the school year ended? He's Harry's uncle, I told you!" "Oh shut up Ron. We didn't think you were serious about it. We thought you were just joking. I mean honestly, Harry and...him," said George irritably. Severus leaned back in his chair and frowned at the two of them sternly, "Shut up." Hermione rolled her eyes, "All three of you are so rude!"  
  
"Well all they ever did in my class was blow things up for their own personal pleasure so why should I be polite with them?!" said Severus. "I had to waste eleven of my evenings on them because they had to serve detention with me!" "Well maybe if you would stop giving us detentions you wouldn't have to worry about it now would you?" said George angrily. "You are a bit hasty on the detentions," said Ron with a shrug. "What? I am not! Shut up!" he snapped. "Hey! Don't yell at my best friend!" Harry said. The entire table erupted in a flurry of arguments, all except for Hermione and Sirius who were sitting back and watching the havoc. They let them carry on for a few minutes, attracting the attention of a few other tables there in the Three Broomsticks until Sirius had finally had enough. He slammed his empty Butterbeer tankard down on the table, "ENOUGH!" he shouted. They stopped and stared at him. He stretched his legs out and propped them up on the table, "I have just one thing to add to everything you've all been saying." They waited until he was certain he had everyone's attention, then he stuck his nose in the air, "I don't like any of you."  
  
They all laughed, "You know I think we needed that bit of sanity?" said Ron. "More like insanity," said Harry. Sirius frowned at him, "Okay now I really don't like you."  
  
***  
  
Harry was very anxious to start his sixth year at Hogwarts, mostly because he had a feeling he'd be acing his Potions class this year because of all the helpful tips Severus had been giving him during the summer. He'd also been giving Harry some advice on Charms and the Dark Arts, which was excellent for Harry because lately he'd been having a hard time with some of his Charms homework. Hermione, however, did not approve, "It's not fair that a Hogwarts teacher is helping you with your homework Harry. You're not getting the full benefit of doing the work on your own." Harry had simply shrugged, "Well I am doing it on my own. It's just some of the hard stuff that I need help with. Besides, he won't help me during the school year, he's already told me that. Who cares if I get a little extra help during the summer?" Hermione had frowned, "I care," she muttered.  
  
Soon enough Harry, Ron, and Severus had Apparated up to the school using a portkey that Severus had conjured. Harry and Ron were in the middle of eating some Chocolate Frogs when the rest of the students arrived after their trip on the Hogwarts Express. After the usual feast they went to bed, Hermione terrorizing them all the way to the common room about color-coding their schedules. "Oh would you give it a rest?!" Ron said, "I'm tired and I want to sleep! Not think about coloring my schedule! Besides, what would you know about it then? So far that I've seen all you do is outline Gilderoy Lockhart's lessons in little hearts!" Hermione burned a deep red, remembering their ex-Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher from their second year and did not bother them about color-coding again. "Remind me to remember that one for later if she starts that nonsense up again," said Ron sleepily from his bed. Harry didn't reply; he was already fast asleep.  
  
***  
  
The first Quidditch game of the year was Gryffindor versus Slytherin, and Harry was very much looking forward to it. As Ron and Harry got their gear on in the changing rooms Ron asked, "Do you think that Professor Snape will wear Slytherin or Gryffindor colors?" Harry hadn't thought about this before; "I-I really don't know actually. I hadn't thought about it until now. Maybe he'll wear Gryffindor colors." It was well known that Severus had always worn black to every Quidditch match but he always had the same green and silver Slytherin scarf around his neck. "Nah, he'd never wear Gryffindor colors; his house would kill him," said Ron with a shrug. Ron hefted his broomstick over one shoulder and he and Harry walked out to the large double doors, waiting for them to open so they could step into the stadium. "Hey Ron?" "Yeah?" "You think Malfoy will try to knock me off my broom again?" said Harry. Ron laughed lightly, "Probably; you know he couldn't win fairly. He'll probably get Crabbe or Goyle to do something again like he did last year; or maybe he'll just try to strangle you in the air. Doesn't matter; if I see him doing anything suspicious I'm gonna beat the Quaffle into his face, that stupid git."  
  
The doors opened and the team flew into the stadium, Harry feeling very glad to be back on his broom again. Both teams formed a large circle around the trunk that held the Quidditch balls, and Madam Hooch said, "I want fair playing on both sides, do you understand?" She was especially eyeing Malfoy, who had just been made the Slytherin team Captain shortly after Harry was made Gryffindor Captain. He simply looked back at her innocently, "I always play fair." Her eyes became slits of fury and it seemed like she wanted to slap him for his remark but instead she blew her whistle and released the Quaffle. Harry flew up to the top of the stadium lazily, scanning for the Golden Snitch and staying out of the game until he found it. Malfoy was doing the same thing, only instead of looking for the Snitch he was eyeing Harry, clearly waiting for Harry to make the first dive. 'All right Malfoy, if that's how you want to play...' he thought with some satisfaction as he plummeted down toward the ground. Malfoy swooped after him and Harry heard Justin Finch-Fletchley shout out over the purple megaphone, "Gryffindor Seeker Potter has seen the Snitch!" The crowd cheered happily but Harry ignored them and kept diving straight down. 'Let's see how you handle a Wronski Feint,' he thought, glancing over at Malfoy who was now even with him.  
  
Harry kept dropping and dropping, pointed directly down at the ground, and Malfoy was growing nervous. He kept glancing over at Harry, wondering where the Snitch was when he realized too late that there was no Snitch where Harry was heading. Harry swerved away abruptly, his Sub Zero broom more than capable of the swift movements and Malfoy hit the ground with a sickening thud. "Oh my God I don't believe it! Slytherin Seeker Malfoy looks more than just a little bruised down there!" said Justin's voice over the megaphone. Harry grinned silently to himself, 'Serves him right too.' In the meantime, however, Harry swooped back up to the top of the stadium, still looking for the Golden Snitch amidst boos from the Slytherins. He looked down and saw Severus, and he noticed that not only was he wearing his usual Slytherin scarf but also a Gryffindor tie. He smiled and continued to look for the Snitch, now very anxious to end the game. Gryffindor was up by thirty so he was sure to get a large amount of house points. Then he saw the glimmer of gold flashing by Ron's ear.  
  
Harry speeded towards Ron and shouted, "LOOK OUT!" Ron barely ducked in time, swiveling over to hang upside down on his broom, Harry's robes grazing his fiery red hair as he caught the Snitch. "Harry Potter has caught the Snitch! The game is over! GRYFFINDOR WINS!" shouted Justin. The stadium erupted in a flurry of happiness and Harry jetted back down to the ground, holding up the Snitch for all to see. Ron landed next to him, "Some catch Harry!" "Yeah, no kidding!" said Dean Thomas, their new Beater, "I thought you were about to take Ron's head off!" "We're just lucky our Keeper thinks on his feet!" said Seamus Finnigan, the team's other new Beater. Harry shrugged and was just about ready to lead the team off the field when he heard the crowd gasp and felt something hit him in the back of the head like a freight train. He fell into darkness and saw no more.  
  
***  
  
"...Dirty, filthy, rotten playing," said a familiar voice. "He might be expelled for it you know," said another. "We can only hope. He's been playing dirty ever since he made the team; deserves to be kicked out for that little maneuver there." "Yeah, especially with that hit to the head like that. I mean he could have killed him!" "Probably trying to knowing Malfoy." Harry's vision cleared slowly, and he realized it wasn't blurry just because his head hurt but also because his glasses were missing. He saw them sitting on a nightstand next to him and he put them on. He was in the hospital wing, and several of his friends were sitting around the foot of his bed talking about what had happened at the Quidditch match. "Did Malfoy hit me?" he said slowly. "Oh good you're awake," said Ron with a sigh of relief. "Yeah, that moron hit you in the back of the head with a Bludger when none of us were looking. Supposedly Dumbledore is going to expel him because what he did could have killed you. Instead you got a concussion; at least that means you've got a thick skull!"  
  
Hermione shook her head and sighed, "I can't believe he did it either. The Slytherin Beaters were helping him up from where he'd hit the ground and he was so furious that he snatched the Beater bat out of Morag McDougal's hand and pelted a Bludger at you. So dirty and disgusting..." "He's a Malfoy, what do you expect?" said Seamus with a frown. Harry was furious indeed, "If ever I get my hands on him I'll...I'll...I dunno what I'll do. Choke him and leave him in the Forbidden Forest for one of those giant spiders I guess. Hey wait a minute; where's my uncle?" Very slowly, they all began to laugh. "Well it's kind of funny Harry," said Ron, his face turning slightly pink with laughter. Hermione giggled, "Yeah, I couldn't believe it." "What? What happened?" said Harry. Dean grinned, "Get this; Malfoy has this all high and mighty look on his face after he hit you with that Bludger okay? Go ahead, envision it!" Harry shrugged, "He's got that look on his face all the time; why???" "Right then now imagine someone coming out of nowhere and strangling him from behind, then dragging him off the field while screaming at him that he's a worthless piece of dung. How does that sound to you?" Harry grinned, "Sounds fine but...oh no..." he said, beginning to laugh, "No way...he'd never..." "Well he did," said Seamus, "it was euphoria."  
  
The door suddenly burst open and striding in came not only Severus but also Sirius. "Are you okay Harry?!" said Sirius, "I heard about what happened and I was really worried that that Bludger had..." "I'm fine! Just a concussion is all!" said Harry. Sirius let out a sigh of relief, "God I was so worried. When I was here we had a kid who got more than just a concussion from that..." "Ah yes, I remember him," said Severus, "he never came back to school." Harry shivered, now feeling very glad that all he'd received was a concussion. "Um, Professor Snape?" came Dean's voice from behind him. Severus turned back to face him, "What is it Mr. Thomas?" Dean shrugged, "Well the team and I just wanted to thank you for giving Malfoy that beating. It was something else!" "Yeah, do it again sometime," said Seamus with a bemused smile. Despite the seriousness of the situation Severus still smiled slightly, "Although you're encouraging the endangerment of a student, or rather ex-student, I'll still pretend like I didn't hear that..." "Wait a minute, did you say ex-student?!" said Hermione. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy has been expelled," said Severus firmly.  
  
"Did you expel him?" said Ron. "Yes and no Mr. Weasley. I hold half the control over that happy power; Headmaster Dumbledore has to agree to the expulsion, and he did. He'll be out of here by dinnertime." Harry's jaw dropped; he hadn't really thought it would happen just like that.   
  
***  
  
It rained starting at around half past three that afternoon. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and most of the other sixth year Gryffindors were staring out the window, watching a black carriage pulling up to the school. They saw the figure of Draco Malfoy walking out to meet it, trunk in tow behind him. His father, Lucius Malfoy, stepped out of the carriage and let Draco get in, but then he turned back to the castle. Harry opened the window and they heard amidst the beating of the rain Lucius Malfoy's angry voice cry, "YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS ONE DUMBLEDORE YOU MUGGLE-LOVING FOOL! MARK MY WORDS!" Harry pulled out his wand, fully ready to curse Malfoy but a hand reached out and stopped him. He looked up to see Severus standing there, staring out the window. "Let him say whatever he wants. He's powerless without Voldemort," he said quietly. Harry pocketed his wand while the rest of the Gryffindors flinched at the sound of Voldemort's name, many of them eyeing Severus oddly. Malfoy stepped back inside the carriage and it pulled away from the school, Draco's face staring out the window at them. Harry was very much surprised, in fact, to see Draco give them a feeble wave before the carriage disappeared around the bend in the road. "I don't believe it," he said slowly. "He's gone. Forever."  
  
***  
  
The Great Hall was quieter than usual that night. The students had never seen anyone expelled before. Several Gryffindors were saying, "Good riddance," and things like that, but Harry was deep in thought. "Harry, you haven't touched your food," said Hermione, "what's wrong?" Harry put his fork down and didn't answer; Ron and Hermione exchanged glances but didn't bother him, and Harry was grateful for that. He looked up at the staff table and his eyes met Severus'. It had been wearing on Harry's mind since he'd seen Draco leave, but he wasn't sure if he dared ask. Severus, however, seemed to understand and he said something to Dumbledore. They both got up and walked the length of the room until they came to Harry, "Can we talk to you outside please?" said Dumbledore politely. Harry nodded and they left.  
  
"What was that all about?" said Dean. "I dunno, but it was weird. Did you see the way Harry was staring at Snape? Just a really strange look..." said Parvati from down the table. Ron shook his head, "What's going on? Do you know anything about this Hermione?" She shook her head in return, "No, I have no idea at all."  
  
***  
  
They returned to the common room later that night to find Harry already there, staring into the fire. "Harry, what's wrong? You can tell us," said Hermione, sitting down across from him. He smiled, "Actually I can't, but you'll all find out soon enough." "Oh come on Harry what's happened eh?" said Ron, "We won't blab if that's what you're worried about." "No no, not blabbing..." he replied, "...just...well you'll all be a bit angry with me soon enough." Hermione rolled her eyes, "Harry, we get mad at you, but just because we're friends you know? Friends argue and it's no big deal. Whatever it is, you can tell us." Harry shrugged, "We'll see soon enough." Suddenly the portrait hole opened and Severus stepped through it and strode over to stand next to Harry. "Well?" "No not yet," said Harry. They both gazed intently at the fire, waiting. "You're both nutters as far as I'm concerned," said Ron, tossing up his hands with frustration. Then the fire began to glow green.  
  
"What's going on? Is someone Apparating here? Is it Sirius?" said Hermione. A head came spinning into the fireplace, then an entire body, and before they realized it Draco Malfoy was climbing out of the hearth, luggage in tow. "Malfoy! You rat! What're you doing in here?!" shouted Ron angrily. "Get out Malfoy! You've been expelled!" hissed Hermione. Malfoy looked at Severus and Harry in silence, ignoring Ron and Hermione, "This is going to be hard." Harry stood up, "It's meant to be." Malfoy let out a heavy sigh, "Yeah...but thanks." Severus was still eyeing the boy with hatred, "Up the stairs. Go." Malfoy went up the stairs to the boys' dormitory and disappeared with his luggage. Ron jumped up to go after him but Harry stopped him, "Harry what is going on?!" Harry let out a deep sigh and squeezed his eyes shut, praying Ron and Hermione would still be his friends.  
  
"I told Severus and Dumbledore that I wanted Malfoy back at Hogwarts, only in the Gryffindor house, living in our dorm." Ron went ballistic, "YOU WHAT?! HAVE YOU GONE MAD?!" Harry shook his head, "No Ron what I mean is..." "HE CAN'T BE IN OUR HOUSE!!" screeched Hermione. "HE'S A FILTHY RAT! HE ALMOST KILLED YOU!!!" "I know I know! Just listen! This is his punishment! Everyone in the school hates him now and his worst idea of punishment would be to get stuck with us in the Gryffindor house! He was proud to be a Slytherin and now he's stuck with us! I couldn't let him get expelled from Hogwarts and go to Durmstrang because he'll end up even worse! It might get him killed! You know they teach the Dark Arts at Durmstrang and that's all he needs is someone else besides his father to encourage him! He'll end up in Azkaban and he's too young for that! Look at what happened to Sirius! He didn't deserve it and it almost drove him insane when he was in there! I know Malfoy can still change if we push him hard enough in the right direction! It's just a matter of time before he..." Ron punched him and broke his glasses.  
  
"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS WITHOUT ASKING EVERYONE ELSE FIRST?!" Ron howled as he shoved Harry to the floor. "HE'LL DRIVE US ALL CRAZY BY THE END OF THE YEAR!!! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO US?!?" Severus raced over to Ron before he could do any more damage and pulled him off Harry, "Knock it off! Quit it!" he shouted. Ron shoved Severus away from him and bashed open the portrait hole, scaring the Fat Lady out of her wits. Harry got up and walked over to Hermione, who was staring at him with a murderous look. "Hermione," he said, but before he could finish his sentence she whispered, "He called me a Mudblood." Harry let out a flustered sigh, "Hermione I know but..." She slapped him hard across the face and stormed up to her dormitory without a second glance, slamming the door as hard as she could.  
  
Severus, in the meantime, picked up the remains of Harry's glasses and said, "Reparo!" making them good as new, and handed them back to Harry. "You knew this was going to be hard," he said. "Yeah," said Harry, "but as to how hard...I had no idea."  
  
***  
  
Ron and Hermione stayed away from Harry at all costs. They sat at the opposite end of the lunch table, got the furthest seats from him in class, and refused to even look at him. The rest of the Gryffindors hated him too and referred to him as "Potter" or if it was Quidditch "the Seeker." The Slytherins, however, weren't quite sure as what to make of the whole situation. On the one hand, Harry had gotten Malfoy back into Hogwarts; on the other, Malfoy was now a Gryffindor. Malfoy was the only one who actually talked to Harry now, since his presence at the school was mostly based on Harry's request. Severus felt so bad for Harry that he tried to do whatever he could to patch up things between him, Ron, and Hermione. He paired up Harry and Ron at the same cauldron in Potions but Ron told him flat out at the beginning of the lesson, "You chop the ginger roots and I'll slice the caterpillars." They each did their specific job, made the potion, and Ron never said anything else to him. When Harry asked to borrow the knife Ron said, "Get it yourself," and turned his back on him. Harry wanted to punch that head of fiery red hair but restrained himself, knowing that that obviously wasn't going to help the situation at all.  
  
Severus stopped him one day after class; "Stay after for a few minutes. I want to talk to you." Harry sat down in an empty seat; Hermione's during class, and Severus asked, "So how's it going?" Harry grimaced, "Very badly. They're hardly talking to me, and when they do it's pretty uncivilized behavior. I suppose I deserve it though..." Severus shook his head, "I tried to help but I guess..." "Don't worry about it. I'll fix it on my own, but I really appreciate it though," said Harry, "I just wish they would listen to reason." Absent-mindedly Harry began to carve "I'm sorry Hermione!!! -HP" on the desk with his chopping knife. "Hey! What're you doing to my desks?!" Severus said, noticing how Harry was digging into the wood. "Writing a message," said Harry, "maybe she'll get it this way." Severus read it and didn't bother him about it any further, "Maybe Harry. Maybe."  
  
***  
  
Harry started leaving messages for Ron and Hermione everywhere. After he got out of the shower he wrote "Sorry Ron!!! -HP" in the steamy mirror so Ron could see it when he got out of the shower the next time. He asked Parvati Patil to take a note up to Hermione despite her protests that she didn't want to do anything for someone like him. "Please Parvati, if you ever thought of me as a friend at any time you'll do this," he'd pleaded. She finally gave in and took it up to Hermione, the words, "Please forgive me!-HP" scrawled across it. He even went to the Hogwarts house elves and got them to arrange a plate of breadsticks to say, "I miss you! -HP" and made sure that it would arrive in front of Ron and Hermione. Harry watched that night at dinner and saw it Apparate in front of them; Hermione and Ron looked at each other and then looked down the table, saw Harry was staring back, and immediately returned to eating. They gave no sign of caring. Harry let out an exasperated sigh and put his head in his hands; all Severus could do as he watched was the same as Harry.  
  
***  
  
He took it upon himself to help one day in Potions. "Granger and Weasley stay behind after class to help clean the desks," Severus told them sternly. The bell rang and they stared at Severus apprehensively. "Both of you come up to my desk," he said, sitting down in his chair. They approached him slowly, eyeing him nastily. He leaned forward, "Look, this has gone far enough. Harry knows you're mad at him and he understands why. Don't you think you've punished him for long enough? Do you have any idea as to how much it kills him to see you two and know he can't be part of your friendship? He's been trying to tell you both how sorry he is and you're both just going to keep acting like you don't care. Well, if you want to let something that small interfere with your friendship, fine by me, but I just wanted to let you both know how much this is hurting him. You can go to class." Severus was sure that not so much as a word he'd said had gotten through to them, but he could always hope for Harry's sake.  
  
***  
  
Harry was beginning to spend more and more time down in the dungeons with Severus. He would help him practice spells, brew potions, anything to help get his mind off Ron and Hermione. One night, however, Severus was late, and Harry was casting some simple Summoning and Banishing Charms when he heard a set of footsteps sound from the stone stairway. "You're late Severus! I thought you'd..." But it wasn't Severus; it was Ron and Hermione. "Oh," said Harry, "hi." They stood staring at each other for a few seconds, then Hermione said, "Look, you're doing it all wrong. When you do a Banishing Charm you make this motion." She pulled out her wand and did it as easy as can be, and Ron said, "Yeah Harry, don't know how you missed that. Learned those in our fourth year." Harry felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his chest, "Right, I guess I just wasn't paying attention."  
  
***  
  
Severus was thinking about locking the three of them in a room for twenty-four hours to see if that would do any good when he heard laughing carrying up the stairway. 'Please tell me they've stopped fighting,' he thought as he ran down the stairs and came to a halt in front of the Potions room. "Yeah, but that wasn't nearly as funny as the time we freed Buckbeak and Sirius with the Time-Turner. The expression on his face was priceless!" said Harry. "I knew it had something to do with you!" said Severus. "Oh hi! Yeah, we let them loose," said Harry with a guilty shrug. The three were sitting on top of one of the tables, talking about funny events gone by. "You're face was so funny though Severus!" said Harry, contorting his face, 'THIS...HAS...SOMETHING...TO DO...WITH...POTTER!' Oh man, what a riot..." Severus frowned, "I always know when it has something to do with you. Or Hermione and Ron for that matter." Ron shrugged, "Hey, it's what we do." Inwardly, in the meantime, Severus let out a sigh of relief. 'Maybe Harry will finally be able to sleep.' Harry had told him days ago that he hadn't slept in so long because of how bad he was beginning to feel what with what had happened with him, Hermione, and Ron.  
  
"How about you Severus? Any funny stories?" asked Harry. He thought for a moment, "No not really. Oh wait, there's this really good one that happened in my fifth year. James had blown up this toilet in the middle of the night, and..."  
  
***  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione went back to being the best of friends, much to the relief of both Sirius and Severus. Hermione and Ron started telling other Gryffindors about how what Harry had done wasn't so bad, even though they still personally thought it was a daft idea. After a while he was no longer "Potter" or "the Seeker," but back to being Harry again, and soon he was having civilized conversations with other people at the Gryffindor lunch table. Malfoy, however, was still very depressed indeed, often eyeing the Slytherin table with sadness. "Why don't you try making friends with some of the Gryffindors?" said Harry, "Might help." "Dunno..." he grumbled, "...don't like me very much..." and he slid away from the table, walking slowly out of the Great Hall. "Well his punishment is working out just fine then isn't it?" said Ron cheerily as he ate his treacle tart. "He deserves every bit of it," said Hermione. Harry shrugged, "Well it's working either way. Maybe he'll finally start realizing that there are other people besides Slytherins to hang out with." "Doubt it," said Seamus Finnigan, "his skull is far too thick for that."  
  
***  
  
They were allowed to visit Hogsmeade two weekends later, but Harry didn't feel like going immediately and told Ron and Hermione that he'd join them later using the Marauder's Map. "I still have two essays to do, and I've only got one of them halfway done. Besides, I'm feeling kind of...er, nervous," he told them in the common room. "Why? What happened Harry?" said Hermione, etched with concern. He shook his head, "Maybe I imagined it but...last night I had a horrible dream about Voldemort coming back again...my scar hurt so much it woke me up." Ron's face drained of color, "Y-You don't think he's...he's coming back, do you? He can't! I mean, Professor Snape said he was finally killed last year and that no matter what he couldn't come back!" "He never said 'No matter what' Ron. There might be ways though...if there were a faithful Death Eater out there who found out about a spell to bring back the dead or something they could have done it," said Harry. Ron's eyes flickered over to Malfoy, who was sitting alone in a corner. "He's too young Ron, you know that," said Harry with a frown, "he'd never be able to pull it off."  
  
"I wasn't thinking of Draco, Harry," said Ron in a whisper, "I was thinking of his father."  
  
***  
  
Harry had just finished up his second essay in the library and was carrying his books up the stairs to the dormitory when he heard a shout. It sounded like Draco. He dropped his books and ran up the stairs but stopped just short of the doorway, hidden by the frame. "B-B-But father said you were dead!" said Draco hoarsely. "No boy," came a raspy voice, "he found a way to bring me back in my spirit form. Now it is only a matter of time before I can regain my body. But to do that, boy, you must help me." Draco didn't say anything for a minute and when his voice finally came it sounded remote and far-off, "What do I have to do?" he whispered. "Kill Harry Potter and bring his body to me. His blood is the most potent for the spell I'll need to perform to regain my body. I need the blood of an enemy, and although almost anyone would suffice, I want a strong enemy. Potter hates me, and I hate him for the pain and humiliation he has caused me." Harry felt his scar twinge and tried not to make a sound.  
  
"I-I-I can't kill someone," said Draco softly. "Oh but you can, and you will," said the voice that Harry was now certain was Voldemort's. "It is only a matter of time before I return, and if you stand in my way then I shall make your life that much more painful for you." Harry wanted to run in there and curse Voldemort, but he somehow restrained himself; he had the feeling that this was something Draco had to do on his own. "Now," said Voldemort, "are you willing to help me?" 'Say no Draco. Please say no, don't give in to this,' thought Harry pleadingly. Draco waited for what seemed like an hour, "Yes Master. Of course I will."  
  
***  
  
Harry dashed down the stairs and grabbed his books, not sure if he should go to Severus and Dumbledore or fight it out with Malfoy or pretend like he hadn't heard a thing. He sat down in one of the large red armchairs, thinking, when Malfoy came down the stairs. Harry stiffened, "Hello Malfoy." "Harry we need to talk. Now." He looked paler than usual, and Harry said "Alright," and followed him out the portrait hole. They stopped in the trophy room and Harry fingered his wand nervously. Malfoy turned to face him and whipped out his wand, crying out an incantation as he did so and waving his arm in a large, sweeping gesture. A blue aura appeared around both of them and began to crystallize, and soon they were surrounding by a large, bright blue wall. "This is a Deafening Charm," said Malfoy, "no one can hear anything from outside until I break the spell." Harry walked backward into the wall of the charm, trying to put as much space between him and Malfoy as he could.  
  
Malfoy stepped forward and put his hands on Harry's shoulders, "Listen to me carefully Harry; you have to get out of the castle and you have to do it soon. I mean like within the hour; go to Dumbledore, do whatever you have to do but get out of the castle and find a safe place to hide. Stay with Snape or Sirius. No wait, he knows about them; uhh, just find someone to stay with and lie low for a while, right?" Harry let out a sigh of relief, "I thought you were really going to kill me." "What? You heard that? Then you already know about...?" "Yeah, I heard it all. You said you would kill me, and I thought you meant it." Malfoy shook his head, "No...I...I didn't realize what a horrible maniac he was until I finally met him face to face just now. He's ugly, he's disgusting, he's barely alive...I don't understand how you can live like that. I can't even believe that my father brought him back; I didn't know he was that desperate for power. But that's not the point; look, you've done enough for me so far that I know you're not the bad person I thought you were. You've still got to get out of here though; once he figures out I'm not on his side I'm dead, but when he finds someone who will take the chance you'll still be in danger."  
  
He raised his wand, about to break the charm when he said, "And listen Harry, run to Dumbledore as fast as you can. He could be anywhere in the castle for all we know, and when he sees you alive he'll know for certain that I lied. But I can hold him off for a while if I can make him think you're dead." He cast the reverse spell and the charm broke in shards, vanishing into nothing. "Run," he hissed, "go to Dumbledore and tell him what's happened while there's still time!"  
  
Harry didn't feel much like just leaving Draco there to fight off Voldemort but he had no choice; they were both defenseless without Dumbledore or Severus. Harry ran as quickly as he could down the hall but then he noticed a spirit turning around the corner; it was a funny blue color, and Harry knew there were no blue spirits at Hogwarts. He ducked into the boys' bathroom and thought about how he could get to Dumbledore without getting caught by anyone. He raised his wand and said, "Accio Invisibility Cloak!" He waited, hoping that the spell would work as it had with his Firebolt in his fourth year during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. He opened the door a crack, then he heard something fall, rustling to his feet. He prodded his fingers and felt the soft, fluid-like cloth and pulled it through the door and quickly donned it. He ducked his head out the door and saw that there was no longer a spirit there and quickly ran down the hall.  
  
He came to a skidding halt when he saw Severus, Dumbledore, and Sirius having a conversation in the middle of the hallway by the Charms room. "I don't know, but I haven't seen him all day and I haven't seen Malfoy either," said Severus, "something is wrong. Ron and Hermione haven't seen him either." Harry came up behind Severus and whispered, "Tell them to go up to Dumbledore's office." Severus almost jumped out of his skin, but followed along, "Headmaster I believe we should go to your office. Now." Dumbledore gave Severus an odd look but said nothing and led them past the stone gargoyle up to his circular office. Harry took of the Invisibility Cloak, "Ah, I see," said Dumbledore. Harry quickly explained everything about him, Voldemort, and Malfoy, and soon the four of them were running up to the Gryffindor common room. "Patronus! Patronus!" cried Harry at the Fat Lady as they came sprinting down the hall, "Don't see what the hurry is," she said as she swung open.  
  
They bolted past the common room, scaring several Gryffindors out of their wits, and went up the stairs to the dormitory. They didn't even stop at the door as Severus simply blasted it out of his way. Malfoy was slumped against a bedpost, gasping for breath, staring at the floor. There across from Malfoy was a scattering of black ash; "He's gone for now," said Malfoy, clutching at his chest, still sucking down air. "How did you do that?" said Harry with amazement. "Memory Charm," said Malfoy. "What? That doesn't make any sense at all," he replied. "I know, but I have a guess," said Malfoy, his breathing beginning to slow. "Voldemort was living only in the idea of mind; he was living because he willed himself to live. He had to force himself to survive in that form every second and every minute of the day. I Obliviated his memory though; and for that short amount of time he forgot who he was and what he was doing. He ceased to live because he couldn't remember how." "How did you come up with the idea of using a Memory Charm?" said Severus.  
  
"I-I didn't...it was just the first thing that popped into my head," he said, still staring at the ash on the floor. Dumbledore nodded, "All right. You are to be taken to the hospital wing then; Mr. Potter, would you take him?" Harry nodded, "Yeah...sure." They left and Severus turned to Dumbledore, "That doesn't change the fact that he can still come back." Sirius crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorway, "We have to get that book from Lucius Malfoy or he'll do it again and again until he kills one of them." Dumbledore said nothing and instead walked over to the fireplace, removing a small amount of powder from a sack inside his robes and throwing it into the flames. It glowed green and Dumbledore said, "Arthur, I need to speak to you face to face right now." Arthur Weasley began to spin out of the fireplace and dusted ash off his robes when he'd gotten completely out. "Everything all right Albus?" he asked.  
  
They explained to him what had happened and Dumbledore ended it by saying, "You have to raid the Malfoy estate and find that book Arthur. If we don't find it..." Arthur nodded slowly, "I understand. We'll get him sir; mark my words we will."  
  
***  
  
The Malfoy estate was raided later on that night, accompanied by three Aurors, six Ministry wizards, and one Unspeakable. Dementors were seen waiting for Lucius Malfoy outside the gates, eager to begin draining his sanity. The report was in the Daily Prophet the next morning, and Ron, Harry, and Hermione were unsure as to whether or not Draco already knew about it. They didn't say anything and when Draco asked to see the Daily Prophet Ron shook his head. "I already know about it Ron, just hand me the paper so I can read what they wrote on it," said Malfoy sullenly. He scanned the paper quickly then handed it back, "The trial is tomorrow. I expect father will be sending me an owl sometime soon about it." Sure enough, the owls came swooping in and Malfoy's eagle owl dropped off a small piece of parchment. He read it and almost laughed, then crumpled it up and stuffed it in his robes. "Well?" said Harry. "He's trying to excuse himself as usual. I won't worry too much about it though; I never got along with him very well anyway," said Malfoy.  
  
***  
  
Lucius Malfoy was sentenced to a life term in Azkaban. They had to drag him out of the courtroom kicking and screaming, which made Severus want to spit with disgust. After the audience had exited, Severus found himself wondering what would happen next. He was frightened because he had thought Voldemort had died this last time when he'd destroyed his soul with the Avada Kedavra spell. But the idea that there were still ways to bring him back made him shiver; "This is a losing battle," he said as he looked up at the night sky. "I can't keep this up forever and neither can Dumbledore, Sirius, or any of them." He could only hope that he'd be able to protect Harry from Voldemort as he'd been doing secretly for so many years; it was that small glimmer of hope that carried him through so many sleepless nights.  
  
***  
  
Harry rode his Sub Zero easily, having come out at dusk to practice a little bit before he went inside. The sun was just about to go down when he was walking off the pitch, Draco and Ron with him having wanted a go on his broom. They were walking up the path to Hogwarts when they heard a sound in one of the bushes. Harry, Draco, and Ron lit their wands and saw a man standing there with mussed silver-blonde hair, clutching a wand. "Father?" said Draco slowly. He hit Draco with a spell, "Not anymore I'm not! I have no son you filthy traitor! But I am faithful to Voldemort," he said, turning to face Harry. "My Lord wants you dead, and dead you shall be." Ron tried to cast a spell on him to stop him from killing Harry but to no effect; Lucius blocked it and sent Ron careening into a tree, knocking him out. Draco let out a moan from the grass to Harry's right; from the looks of it one of his legs and a few ribs were broken.  
  
"The Boy Who Lived," he sneered at Harry, "we shall see about that." A mad gleam was in his eyes as he raised his wand to kill Harry but then Harry heard "WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!" and Lucius went flying, then plummeted down to the ground and hit it with a bone-cracking thud. Harry whipped about to see Severus running up to meet him, "How many times have I told you not to go out alone anymore?!" he shouted at him angrily. "You almost got yourself, Draco, and Ron killed!" Harry let out a sigh, "I know. I'm sorry." Severus shut his eyes and sighed, opening his eyes again. "Look it's best you get out of here Harry. The Dementors will be here any minute now and..." "What? What do you mean the Dementors will be here?!" "Lucius Malfoy's escape from Azkaban was reported everywhere; the Dementors were sent to the key places where we knew he would head to first. They're already in Hogsmeade and three of them are coming up here right now because we know he wants you dead. Now we have some actual proof though."  
  
"They're going to kill him aren't they?" said Harry. "No, they won't kill him...trust me, he'd be much better off if he were dead." "The Dementor's Kiss?" said Harry softly. "Yes Harry. Now go, get out of here before they arrive," said Severus, shoving him toward the school. "No!" said Harry, "I want to be here when he's killed." Severus was surprised at the young man's courage and finally gave in, "All right. But only because he tried to kill you; I hope I'm not making a bad decision out of this." A few minutes later the Dementors arrived, and Harry felt himself growing cold and his vision blurring from their presence, but he concentrated hard on the happiest moment of his life and his vision began to clear. One of the Dementors put out its' two scabbed, slimy white hands and pulled Lucius Malfoy's limp body up to its' hooded face. Malfoy slowly began to awaken and saw the Dementors all around him. He screamed and screamed and Harry felt his blood turn to ice. The Dementor let its' hood fall back a little ways to expose its mouth; no, not a mouth...more like a gaping hole in its' face. Malfoy weakly tried to push at the Dementor, desperate to get away and still screaming for his life, when the Dementor began to suck.  
  
It pried at Malfoy's mouth until it was completely open and began to suck at the air harder until a wispy gray cloud began to come out of Malfoy's mouth. Harry watched in horror as it sucked the soul right out of Malfoy and wanted to tear his eyes away, but felt unable to. Severus, however, covered his eyes for him, "Don't look." Harry heard the sucking sound grow greater and Malfoy's screams began to vanish until there was nothing, no sound at all, just...silence. Severus removed his hand and let Harry look; Malfoy was a limp figure in the Dementor's gross hands, and the Dementor tossed him down on the ground. He didn't move. "I thought the Kiss didn't kill," Harry whispered, feeling the chill of the Dementors taking him over again. "It didn't kill him; he's still alive. He'll come out of it after a while, but even when he does he's still as good as dead. He'll stop eating and stop caring; he'll have wasted away within two weeks from now," said Severus quietly. Harry concentrated on another happy thought again and the chill of the Dementors vanished once more, clearing his vision. The Dementors picked up Lucius Malfoy and walked away; they soon vanished into the cold, dark night sky, almost as if they had never come.  
  
"Come on Harry; we need to get Draco and Ron up to the castle." Harry nodded slowly, "Yeah. Sure." Draco, as it turned out, had been awake through the entire Dementor's Kiss, watching his father mentally die. "I'm sorry you had to see that Draco," said Severus as he conjured up a splint for his leg. Draco looked away, wincing in pain as Severus put the splint on, "He was already dead before the Kiss was done."  
  
As it turned out Ron needed some serious stitches after being thrown into that tree. Luckily he hadn't bled too much, and he was only a little dizzy when they woke him up. "What happened?" he said, "I feel terrible." "We'll explain it later Ron," said Severus absentmindedly as he created a stretcher for him. "All right; let's go." "Wait a minute," said Draco, limping over to the spot where his father had fallen. He bent and looked down at the ground as best as he could with his busted ribs and broken leg until he found what he'd been searching for. He came limping back a minute later; "What were you looking for?" said Harry. Draco held up a battered, old wand, "This." "Is that...?" said Severus slowly. "Yeah," said Draco, looking down at it, "my father's wand."  
  
***  
  
Hermione went ballistic when she heard about what had happened. "Oh my gosh! I don't believe it!" she said when Harry told her about Lucius Malfoy. Harry had just finished a large meeting in Dumbledore's office and as of right now he was feeling a little put out, and he slumped into one of the large armchairs in the common room exhaustedly. "Yeah, well, I'm just really tired right now Hermione," he said wearily. She nodded furiously, "Of course you are! You should go to bed or maybe go see Madam Pomfrey for a good sleeping potion!" He shook his head, "No, I'll be fine in my own bed. Good night Hermione," and he trudged up the stairs. Harry changed into his pajamas but didn't get into bed; he walked to the window and looked out at the thin white crescent of the Moon. He opened the windows, feeling the wind play breezily across his face and looked back at the dormitory. The black ashes of Voldemort's remains were still there; he'd forgotten about them. He swept them up into his hand and went back to lean on the windowsill. He squeezed them tightly in his hands, feeling hatred for Voldemort pulse through him. He threw the ashes out the window and the breeze blew them away. He dusted his hands off and shut the window, then climbed into bed, deep in thought. Harry closed his eyes and cleared his mind of everything that had happened today and thought only of the great experiences he'd had in his life so far. It was this little trick that helped him sleep during so many restless nights before and to come.  
  
***  
  
Harry, Hermione, Dumbledore, Sirius, and Severus were sitting up in the Astronomy Tower. Ron and Draco still weren't out of the hospital wing yet. "Are we fighting a losing battle?" said Harry quietly. "No!" said Dumbledore, then softer, "No Harry. There are ways for him to return, but there are ways for him to be destroyed." "But not permanently so far as we can tell as of yet," said Hermione. "No, not yet. But if there are books on how to bring back the dead then there are also books on how to destroy the immortal," said Sirius. "But where they are is another matter entirely," said Severus. "Well," said Harry, "at least we got the books on how to bring him back. I'm going to bed. Good night." Harry left and Hermione followed suit a few minutes later.  
  
Severus, Dumbledore, and Sirius looked at the starry night sky then looked at each other. "If Lucius couldn't do it, then someone else will," said Sirius, voicing Severus' thoughts. "I know," said Dumbledore, "but at least we have the book and all the copies ever made of it." "So far as we know, you mean," said Sirius quietly. "Yes Mr. Black," said Dumbledore, "so far as we know."  
  
***  
  
The graveyard was silent except for the soft bubbling and frothing sounds emerging from the cauldron, hidden behind a large headstone. He finished the incantation and a wispy spirit began to form over the top of the cauldron like a cloud until it eventually formed a face. "You are no Death Eater," he hissed. "Yes I am, but I was too young to join you then. Now, however, I will be your greatest servant. If you wish, my Lord, you may host off my body." Voldemort let out a hissing laugh, "You will be rewarded far beyond your expectations." "I expect nothing in return for my services but for one thing," he said, bowing his head slightly. "And what is that?" said Voldemort. He smiled, "Immortality." "Ahhh, to continue on in my footsteps perhaps?" said Voldemort quizzically. "My Lord please," he said graciously, "I could never be capable of half the things you've done." "Oh but you will be, for we'll become closer than a father and son. You'll become my apprentice, and soon Voldemort will not be the only feared name in the world."  
  
He spread his arms wide and Voldemort plummeted into his chest with a screeching sound and he let out a gasp as Voldemort entered his soul. 


	3. Truly a Gryffindor

"Truly a Gryffindor"  
  
Prologue:  
It has been six years since Harry Potter graduated from Hogwarts. He is now twenty-four years of age, and the youngest person in the history of the Ministry of Magic to become an Auror. His two best friends from childhood, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger also work at the Ministry of Magic. Ron has taken over his father's position as head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts branch, and plays as Quidditch Keeper for the Kenmere Kestrels. Hermione is slowly working her way to becoming the next Minister of Magic, and is slated to take over as Minister sometime in the next seven years when Percy Weasley resigns. Sirius Black, his name now having been cleared for almost a decade, works alongside Harry as an Auror, helping him whenever he can. Severus Snape has declined several positions in the Ministry, remaining at his usual station as Potions Master and head of Slytherin house at Hogwarts. Rumors are circulating that he may become the next Headmaster of the school, following current Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Draco Malfoy has changed for the better since the events of his sixth year at Hogwarts, and has become one of Harry's friends. He works at Hogwarts as, ironically enough, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, a job that he has held for two years running.  
  
Despite the good state that the wizarding community is in, Harry feels a certain sense of apprehension, mostly because of the great pains his lightning bolt scar has been giving him lately. Although Harry is yet to reveal his splitting headaches and nervousness, he is not the only one feeling these same feelings of unease.   
  
It is a quiet evening in Hogsmeade when Harry awakens to a searing pain in his forehead...  
  
  
Harry sat straight up in bed, sweat pouring down his face, and gasping for breath. He'd seen something...a dream, but what it was he could not remember. It was slipping away so quickly he could barely remember anything; but there was something. A high cold laugh. He knew that laugh. It was a laugh he hadn't heard in years; a laugh no one wished to hear. A laugh that meant death.   
  
"Voldemort," he whispered.  
  
***  
  
Severus almost jumped out of his skin, and sweat was dripping down his face. No, no, no. He refused to believe it. A lifetime spent hunting him down to kill him, but you didn't see things like that in your nightmares every day. He got out of bed and threw a handful of Floo Powder into the fireplace. "Harry Potter 731 North Hogsmeade!" he said when he'd gotten into the hearth. 'I hope he's up,' he thought as he whipped past several other fireplaces and came to a stop in Harry's. He was surprised to find him awake, and looking quite shaken indeed. "Oh hi Severus," he said quietly. He clambered out of the fireplace and dusted himself off, "I know this probably doesn't mean anything," he began, but Harry stopped him. "Did you see him? My scar woke me up; it was hurting again. I saw Voldemort and someone else. I don't know who though. Someone...familiar. But I still can't put a name to that face; I can't even remember what he looks like now that I'm awake."  
  
Severus let out a sigh of discomfort, "I saw something like that, only it was a bit different; more Voldemort than anything else." Harry looked out the window; it was already growing light outside. "I'm getting hold of Ron, Hermione, and Draco the moment the sun comes up." Severus held back a smile; he had just been thinking along the same lines only instead getting hold of Sirius, Dumbledore, and Arthur Weasley. Harry let out a sigh and rubbed his eyes, "Every time I think I'm through with Voldemort he keeps coming back. But this time he had somebody's help; he looked so familiar." Severus didn't say anything; he didn't want to tell Harry that he recognized the mystery person too, but he couldn't quite put the name to the face. He was just about ready to head back to Hogwarts when Harry stopped him, "Stay for a while. Sun's almost up anyway; no point in going to bed." "I wasn't thinking about sleeping," said Severus, sitting down in one of Harry's chairs. "More along the lines of getting hold of some people that I think might want to hear about this."  
  
***  
  
Harry used the Floo Network to get Ron, Hermione, and Draco to his house. He told them about what had happened and Draco tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair nervously. "I dreamt something like that," he said finally. "What?" said Harry, "I didn't know you had them." "And I didn't know Professor Snape did either, but you don't hear me complaining," he said. "That's odd. You, Professor Snape, and me. Voldemort almost killed you, I almost became a Death Eater, and Snape was a Death Eater until he switched sides. Are you seeing the connection here?" "You three were the most heavily involved with Voldemort," said Ron. "Almost, with the exception of my father. And, of course, whoever is helping Voldemort return to power," said Draco. "Wait a minute! Snape used to be a Death Eater so he's got the Dark Mark burned into his arm! If it's getting clearer..." There was a scramble for Floo Powder as everyone quickly jumped into the fireplace, heading for Hogwarts.  
  
***  
  
Harry was a glad it was a Saturday; he didn't want to come bursting into the middle of a class and scare all the kids by demanding where their Potions Master was. He opened the door to the empty room and said, "Severus?" He heard a shouting noise from his office and immediately ran in, Hermione, Ron, and Draco in tow. "What's going on?!" said Harry, running in. Severus was leaning over his sink, running cold water over his forearm. He looked up at Harry, a pained expression on his face, "Look." He thrust his forearm out for them to see the Dark Mark, burning a deep black. He rubbed it sorely, "Stupid, stupid young fool." "Who?" said Hermione. "Me; even now all these years later after switching sides I'm still paying for what I did as a Death Eater with this damn tattoo," he said angrily. "Yeah, but at least it can tell us important things like whether or not Voldemort is coming back!" said Ron, trying to turn it into a cheery situation. Obviously, it didn't help. Severus continued running cold water over his burning forearm, "I'll admit that is the only advantage to it; we know just as well as he does that he doesn't have a complete surprise factor because of this stupid thing. And the clearer it gets, the stronger he gets."  
  
"What did it start out as?" said Harry, peering over at it. "It looked like a mass of black up until about three days ago. I thought I was just seeing things but about fifteen minutes ago it started burning; I haven't felt it burn like that since...since the days when he was first in power," said Severus quietly. Ron and Hermione exchanged glances, both looking very worried. "Perhaps I should go get Percy Weasley," said Hermione, "I know he wouldn't be as foolish about this as what Cornelius Fudge was back in our fourth year." Severus looked down at the tattoo and touched his tender, burning flesh; "I think you're right."  
  
***  
  
Hermione returned with Percy half an hour later, and Harry thought he hadn't changed much since they'd last met a few years ago. 'Still looks like a know-it-all,' he thought. They told Percy about what had happened over the past twenty-four hours and he examined Severus' forearm carefully; he leaned back against the sink and thought for a minute. "I was hoping this would never happen when I was Minister," he said finally, "but I can't ignore the signs. We'd better start alerting the regulars about this; Dumbledore already knows right?" Severus nodded, "Yes, I told him about it a while ago. He doesn't know about the Dark Mark though," he said, gazing down at his arm. "It's best we tell him soon then," said Percy, "if there's anyone who will know what to do at a time like this, it's Headmaster Dumbledore." He shut his eyes and let out a sigh, then opened his eyes again, "I'll need to contact Azkaban and the rest of the Aurors. I hesitate to get more involved with the Dementors again though; they'd switch sides in a heartbeat if Voldemort promised them more souls to suck out and more people to torment."  
  
"Don't bother with them," said Ron, "all they're good for is being the Azkaban guards. Even then they're blind, so if you're an Animagi you could do what Sirius did; transform and escape." "That's not the only thing Ron," said Percy with a frustrated look. "Supposedly the Patronus spell is becoming more and more popular among the small circles still left of Death Eaters. They're learning it in case they're captured and sent to Azkaban so they can ward off the Dementors and escape. At least, that's what our sources have been telling us." "So the Dementors are useless now," said Hermione, "and we cannot find anything else to take their place." "When did you find this out?" said Harry. "About two weeks ago," said Percy, "we haven't known for long, but we're trying to make do as best we can." "You are leaving the Dementors there until then?" said Severus. "For now, yes, but as soon as we can find a decent replacement they'll be gone," Percy replied. "You'll need some sort of a spell then," said Draco, "because you know wizards can't hold Death Eaters in their cells. They'll just bust them open and kill their guard." "We know," said Percy, "but we don't know anyone who could possibly come up with the sort of spell we need. This is heavy magic that we're going to need; not just any spell can block all the power of a Dark wizard."  
  
Draco shrugged, "I'll do it." "What? You can't do it; you're twenty-three. What makes you think you can do something that no one else can?" said Percy. "Oh quit your condescending," muttered Ron with a roll of his eyes; Percy pretended not to hear. "Look at it this way; my father taught me enough about the Dark Arts that by the time I was fifteen I could have outsmarted a thirty year old wizard with all the things I knew. And since I'm the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher...it seems only fitting that I at least try to figure out a spell that would work," he said promptly. "Of course I'm open to help from anyone who wants to," he added. Percy let out a sigh, "All right, if you think you can do it...fine, but try to hurry it up, will you?" Draco headed for the door, "I'm already working on it," and he left. "I hope he finds a way," said Percy, "it's our last hope for containing the wizards of Azkaban."  
  
***  
  
Draco worked constantly on new ideas for spells, spending more time in the library than most of them thought possible, and beginning to surprise even Hermione. Harry, Ron, and Hermione tried to help him whenever they could, although Ron and Hermione weren't half as effective as what Harry, Sirius, and Severus were, being Aurors and Severus having tons of experience with the Dark Arts as it was. Harry and Severus, however, had other problems as well; they were still trying to solve the mystery of who was helping Voldemort. They both searched constantly for pictures of young wizards around Harry's age, and checked up on their recent activities, trying to discern the possible suspects from those they knew were safe. "This is impossible," said Harry one day, "the only thing I can remember is that he's almost the same age I am. How can I find someone when I can't remember what they look like?" "Just keep trying," Severus told him as he continued to look at the files in Harry's Ministry office, "we're bound to hit pay dirt sometime."  
  
Despite Severus' encouraging words, Harry had a hard time believing he would find someone he couldn't see; until one night he remembered something from his dream. He bolted out of bed at two o'clock in the morning and threw Floo Powder into the fireplace. As he came spinning out of Severus' fireplace he was practically shouting, "Dark hair! Dark hair! Dark eyes!" Severus had been sure Harry had gone mad until he was fully awake, "You remember who it was?" "Sort of," said Harry, rubbing his forehead as it still hurt from the painful twang of his scar. "He had very dark hair, almost black; and dark eyes that looked like a deep brown color or something like that. I wish I could remember more..."  
  
So they looked at different profiles of wizards with only dark hair and eyes. Still, Harry hadn't found one who looked like the shadowy man from his nightmares. That was, until he looked down at Vincent Crabbe's profile and felt his scar surge with pain, and his nightmares came rushing back to him. "No, no, not yet," said a voice; 'Voldemort's voice,' thought Harry. "I need more time to regain my strength; but you have been very useful to me indeed. You've brought me back from the dead as Lucius Malfoy once did. But he was weak; you, however, are different. But now, my friend, we must work for the next level of my transformation. It will be difficult, yes, but the end results shall be worth it. I shall have my body back once again, and I shall make those fools pay dearly for the years they have denied me. Severus Snape and Harry Potter will die before the year is gone. How? Ahh, the affection they share for each other runs deep, we know that. And it shall be their affection that will become their undoing; love does not strengthen, it weakens those who can feel it. Potter, his friends, and his family Snape and Black will fall by my hand, mark my words..."  
  
"Harry! Harry!" said a familiar voice. His vision was blurry; tears were in his eyes. Severus was standing over him, shaking his shoulders, "Snap out of it! You've been convulsing on the floor like you've gone mad! What happened?" Harry hugged and held him tight till Severus felt the air being crushed out of his lungs, "Promise me you'll never go anywhere alone," said Harry. "And you'll always have your wand with you no matter what." Severus practically had to pry Harry off of him, "What happened?" Harry told him everything, not knowing what else he could do. Severus looked away grimly when Harry had finished; "Well don't worry about any of us just yet Harry. If he doesn't have his body back yet, then we're not in too much trouble so far." "I'm not concerned about now, I'm concerned about later when he does get his body back," said Harry. "Besides, for all we know he could get his body back today, tomorrow, or next week." "Or next year, or next decade," said Severus, trying to be more reassuring.   
  
It didn't help.  
  
***  
  
Harry told Ron, Hermione, Draco, and Sirius about what had happened an hour later. "What do you think caused you to have one of those nightmares in the middle of the day?" said Ron. "I don't know," said Harry, "but I have a guess." He pulled out the profile on Vincent Crabbe without looking at it and tossed it to Hermione. "I had barely looked at it when it happened." "You don't think he would be smart enough to help Voldemort do you?" said Ron laughingly. "I mean he wasn't exactly bright at Hogwarts now was he?" "Yes he was," said Severus from the corner. It was around then that Harry noticed he was clutching his forearm; the Mark was burning again. "What? You're joking," said Ron. "No; he passed all of his classes easily. Despite how stupid he might look it's completely different from how stupid he actually is." Ron stopped laughing, "I thought he had a hard time passing his classes." Draco spoke, "He was smart enough that he was helping other students in Slytherin. If any of them had problems with anything he was the one to go to. He was quite good with the Dark Arts too; we'd talk about it all the time." Ron sighed, "Well I guess you learn new things every day." "Look, how stupid he is isn't the point; how smart he is...well that's another subject," said Hermione. "Has there been any Death Eater activity with him recently?" said Sirius, leafing through his profile. "None, but of course that only goes by when the Aurors can catch these people doing it," said Hermione.  
  
"So basically the reported Death Eaters we have are really a small percentage to how many Death Eaters there actually are," said Draco with a roll of his eyes. "Hey! We're working on it okay?" said Harry with frustration. "That's another thing to add to our to do list," said Hermione, "we need to find a better way to catch Death Eaters. As of right now, this won't cut it; especially with Voldemort coming back. Already we're starting to hear stories about Muggles or other wizards being tortured, or walking into a forest and not walking out again. Unfortunately since most wizards don't read the Muggle papers it's harder to keep track of Death Eater movement." "How can you even tell when a Muggle has been killed by a Death Eater versus when a Muggle is killed in a car accident?" said Ron. "I mean I only work in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts department so I really wouldn't know too much about it." Hermione shrugged, "You know how the Death Eaters used to leave the Dark Mark over the person's house before they were about to be killed? Well the papers have been reporting a 'lingering green haze' over the house of the dead person. They think that they're having freak gas line explosions but I know better. They had a picture in one of the papers; I could tell what the haze used to look like before it was swirled around by the wind." "A skull eating a snake?" said Harry.  
  
"Exactly," said Hermione, "and if that isn't the Dark Mark then I'll eat the Sorting Hat."  
  
***  
  
By the end of the day each person (besides Draco who was already working on a spell) was given a set task. Ron and Hermione were going to be researching the papers, trying to narrow down the area they'd have to cover when it came to looking for Death Eaters. Harry, Sirius, and Severus, however, were going to be out checking up on some of the more suspicious looking wizards. As Harry got up to leave one morning to meet up with Sirius and Severus at the Ministry, Harry glanced at his old broomstick Sub Zero lying in the corner of his room. He picked it up and felt the handle; it was all battered from the years of use it'd had. He hadn't needed a faster one since at the time this one had been the top of the line; now it was probably considered a mediocre racing broom. For some reason he had the strange feeling that he might be needing it, so he hefted it over one shoulder as he climbed into the fireplace and cried, "The Ministry of Magic!" and was gone.  
  
"What're you doing with that old thing?" said Sirius, noticing his old broomstick. "I really don't know; I just had the feeling like I'd be needing it today so I took it with me," said Harry. Sirius shrugged, "All right, if you say so." The three of them left for the Leaky Cauldron via Floo Powder and arrived a few minutes later, trying to find out what the latest news was amongst the other wizards. Because there were all sorts of strange folk in the Leaky Cauldron, you could find out many things from around the world; and they needed all the information they could lay hands on. The three of them had been talking to a goblin when Harry felt a funny presence from behind him; a pair of eyes boring into the back of his head. He looked over his shoulder to see a shadowy figure in the corner; who it was he could not say. Harry shook it off and kept talking to the goblin when he felt it stronger this time; now he was sure that the figure, whoever he was, was staring at him. He stood up and turned around fully; the person got up quickly and left the Cauldron, making a hasty removal. Harry immediately followed him out of the Leaky Cauldron and down Diagon Alley. The man started walking faster and soon was running full pace away from Harry; he kept after him and shouted at him to stop but to no avail.  
  
Harry was losing his pace and the distance between them grew wider until Harry knew it was useless on foot. He leapt on his broom and went soaring after him; following him into Knockturn Alley. He had to catch him before the Alley ended; the only good thing about the Alleys was that you couldn't Apparate and Disapparate in them; at least he had a small chance that way. But if he reached the end of the Alley before Harry, he could Disapparate, then Harry would never be able to find him. Harry swooped over crowds of people, annoying some and amazing others. He was only a few feet out of his grasp now, and Harry stretched out a hand to grab the back of his robes; then Harry realized they were almost to the end of the Alley. Just as he felt his fingertips close in the Alley ended and waving his wand frantically the man disappeared; but not before leaving a high, cold laugh behind.  
  
***  
  
Harry didn't feel like doing much for the rest of the day; he went home instead and thought. Severus and Sirius joined him later, both looking very exhausted indeed. "Will you tell us what happened in Knockturn Alley now?" said Sirius. "Sure, now that I've had the time to think," said Harry, and he told them about what had happened. "You don't think it was Voldemort do you?" said Sirius. Severus laughed, "It couldn't have been; he would have killed Harry right then and there if it had been." "That's what I was thinking," said Harry. "But it couldn't have been just anybody either." Although he didn't voice his thoughts, Harry had an idea of who it might be.  
  
Vincent Crabbe.  
  
***  
  
His skull felt like it was about to split open it was hurting so badly; Harry could barely see and he stumbled out of bed at three in the morning, clutching his head. The pain kept at it for five more minutes, Harry feeling close to passing out when it suddenly stopped. The abruptness of it frightened him and made him wonder; he could feel a ball of dread growing in his stomach, but why he didn't understand. He found himself running through the nightmare that he'd been afflicted with a few weeks ago when he'd first looked at Crabbe's profile, remembering what he'd heard Voldemort say. What was it? He was going to kill him, his friends, and his family. He hadn't mentioned...no...he wouldn't...but he would, and even though Harry had hated them for so many years for the first time in his life he was scared of what might have happened to them. He dressed quickly and Apparated as fast as he could.  
  
To Number 4 Privet Drive.  
  
***  
  
Harry shut his eyes and looked away, unable to believe what he was seeing. The house was quiet, showing no signs of anything that had gone wrong. The last he'd heard Dudley had been attending one of the local universities, and was still living with Vernon and Petunia Dursley, his horrible uncle and aunt that had trapped him in the cupboard under the stairs for so many years. Truly there was no sign that anything was wrong at all, and at first Harry had been relieved; but then all his hopes had been dashed to the ground. For over the house lingered a green haze that all wizards feared.  
  
The Dark Mark.  
  
***  
  
Harry hadn't bothered going inside; he knew what he would have found. Three bodies that looked normal, except for the fact that there was no pulse; it was the same with all people killed by Avada Kedavra. There was no sign that you were dead; your heart just stopped beating, and the breath was taken from your very lungs. That was it. Harry didn't go back to sleep that night; he went to Severus' house and told him what happened. He'd tried to console Harry as best as he could, but it didn't make Harry feel any better about it. He finally fell asleep in one of Severus' armchairs, exhausted and scared. He was awakened a few hours later by a shout; a shout of happiness, much to Harry's relief. Draco was climbing out of Severus' fireplace, dark circles under his eyes and he was practically shaking with exhaustion. "I've found it! I've found it!" said Draco, clutching a piece of parchment in his hand. "What? What're you talking about?" said Severus. "Look!" said Draco with glee, shoving the parchment into his hand.  
  
"I don't believe it..." said Severus, his eyes widening, "...you did it." "You bet I did!" said Draco, practically jumping up and down with happiness. "Do you realize how great this is?!" said Severus, a grin on his face, "This is excellent! You're amazing! No one else could have done this!" "What's going on?" said Harry sleepily, getting up from the chair slowly. "Read it Harry!" said Severus, thrusting the parchment into Harry's hand. Harry read it quickly, "Wow, this is something else. And this...this really works?" Draco nodded, "Already been tested by yours truly. We can start using it as soon as it's approved by the Ministry!" Harry smiled weakly and slumped back into the chair.  
  
They'd finally found a way to keep the Dark wizards in Azkaban.  
  
***  
  
The Death's Imprisonment spell, as Draco had titled it, was approved by the Ministry in record time; fifty-six hours to be precise. Percy had been ecstatic and had awarded Draco the Order of Merlin Second Class, despite his protests that he was just doing his job. The Dementors were banished from their posts as Azkaban guards, and they went back to inhabiting all the dark places of the world as they had at one time. Draco went down to Azkaban two days later to perform the Imprisonment spell on the cells containing the evil wizards. He came back looking older; "It's horrible in there," he said quietly, "I'd die happy never seeing that place again." Sirius shut his eyes, "I know what you mean."  
  
Harry, in the meantime, had been doing some thinking. "Draco," he said, "if you found a bug in your house that you couldn't kill, what would you do with it?" He looked at him strangely, "Well I'd catch it in a glass or something then pitch it out the window. Why do you ask something like that?" Harry grinned, "Because we've got a big bug to catch."  
  
***  
  
Harry didn't enjoy the summer at all that year; he was inside Hogwarts most of the time, having been excused from his duties as Auror by Percy for quite some time now. He, Draco, Hermione, Dumbledore, Professor Flitwick, and many others were combining their efforts to create the most powerful magical item ever created. Harry had explained to them all after asking them to meet him in the dungeons at Hogwarts; "We cannot kill Voldemort, we know that much. No matter how many times we try someone is always there to summon him back from the dead using the hidden copies of the book we found several years ago. But if we cannot kill him, then we shall capture him; his soul specifically, and keep it in a vial, or something of the sort like that. We'll need to put it somewhere safe, somewhere where no one can get to it. I'm getting off track though, and my point is this; if we can create something powerful enough to contain his soul, we can rid any chance of him being resurrected ever again. After all, you cannot resurrect that of which is already alive, and if we put enough spells on his container no one will be able to break it open and release him. Do you follow me?" They followed, and everyone agreed that it was their best shot yet.  
  
They spent many long hours down in the dungeons, all concentrating their efforts on a small crystal vial. Dumbledore made it Unbreakable and Non-Penetrable; Hermione coated the insides of it in unbreakable Fire Walls while Professor Flitwick stuffed it with Memory Charms to dash Voldemort's memory to pieces when he was captured inside it. Severus let the vial soak in a potion of his own Unbreakable charm, and when it came out again it was harder than diamond. Sirius contacted a few other wizards he knew and had them put their own charms on it, while Dumbledore got hold of a goblin wizard and an elf wizard so they could put their own brand of magic upon it. Soon the vial was coated with charms, spells, and potions of all the races of the world; Voldemort would never escape from it once he was inside. Harry held it up after they had finished with it and looked at it in the light; it looked like an ordinary vial, but it was something much, much more than that. He clutched it tightly, "Now how can we get him in?"  
  
Ron, who had been sitting on the back shelf looked up, "Erm, I have an idea." "What is it Ron?" said Harry, very curious indeed as Ron had not helped them at all since they'd begun their experiments. Ron simply wasn't much of a help since he wasn't as good a wizard as Hermione, nor was he as brilliant with ideas as Dumbledore. Most of the time he'd simply tried to stay out of the way or help in whatever little ways that he could. Ron hopped off the shelf and took the vial from Harry's hand, "Er, well, I was just thinking about how maybe we could suck him into the flask using a Vacuum Charm. Just pop off the cap of the flask and the Charm starts working and sucks in the nearest person, then it sucks the cap back onto itself. You'd have one Voldemort packaged and ready to go." "Ron that's brilliant!" said Hermione, "That's a great idea!" Ron shrugged and his face turned a little redder, "Thanks."  
  
So they used Ron's Vacuum Charm as the final capper on the vial, and Harry was now sure that it was complete; except for one thing. "It looks so plain and ordinary," he said. "It is, but it's meant to be that way," said Sirius, "so he can't tell what it is." Harry frowned, "Yeah, but what if we lose it? How are we supposed to tell it apart from any other flask?" For that question there was no answer, "But I have an idea as to what we can mark it with. It'd be a good reminder for him too." "What is it?" said Dumbledore. Harry drew his wand in the air and formed a symbol:  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What is it?" said Severus. "A backward G and a regular G," said Harry; "It stands for Godric Gryffindor." "He'll recognize that very quickly Harry," said Dumbledore. "Are you sure? Because I want him to know what it means so he can stare at it and know he was defeated by quite a few Gryffindors; no offense Severus." "None taken," he said with a roll of his eyes. "Voldemort will surely recognize it," said Dumbledore, "because Godric Gryffindor signed his initials that way; but you weren't aware of that, were you?" "Er, no, I wasn't; I thought I was just making something up." Dumbledore smiled, "Harry, I think perhaps you knew that because maybe you have some of Godric Gryffindor's blood running through your veins. More than likely through your father's side." "I doubt that," said Harry with a shrug, "I'm just Harry." Dumbledore sighed and said, "I must be going, now that everything is done with." He walked to the doorway but stopped, looking back at Harry, "Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled Godric's sword out of the Sorting Hat as you did in your second year. Have you ever looked at his portrait hanging in the common room Harry? You might notice something peculiar Harry, very peculiar." And with that last curious statement he left. They looked at Harry strangely, "I don't know what he's talking about so don't look at me," said Harry uncomfortably. But Severus was looking at him differently than the rest; he had seen the portrait of Godric Gryffindor before, and he had already noticed that peculiar thing that Dumbledore had spoke of.  
  
***  
  
Harry stared and stared at the portrait; stared until his eyes burned. Godric Gryffindor was a slim but muscular looking man, with dark, untidy hair and a dark stare in his eyes. In the portrait he wore a green cloak and black robes, a black belt round his waist with a silver buckle on it, a large backward G forward G symbol on it. He'd been sitting there for over an hour when Severus came in and found him in one of the armchairs, staring at the portrait. He was trembling from nerves, knowing that what ran through Harry's blood in turn ran through his; he'd never bothered drawing parallels before when he'd looked at the portrait. Just then Harry got up and stood face to face with the portrait; he could feel something nagging in the back of his mind, a voice asking him to do something...Move me aside, move me aside, it said. Harry pushed the portrait aside and saw a small door behind it; he was very surprised indeed to see it there and he pulled on the little silver ring that acted as its' doorknob and it creaked open. Inside was something glinting; he pulled it out and stared at it. "What is that?" said Severus slowly. Harry shut the little door and put the portrait back, then he held it up; "It's Godric Gryffindor's belt buckle, just look at the picture."  
  
The same GG symbol was on the buckle Harry held as the one in the portrait, and Severus was growing more and more nervous. Harry couldn't possibly be the descendent of Godric Gryffindor, he just couldn't be; if that were so then why had Severus been put in Slytherin? Wouldn't all of Godric Gryffindor's descendents have been put into Gryffindor as well?  
  
***  
  
Severus burst into Dumbledore's office, surprising Albus as he strode to the corner of his office, picked up the Sorting Hat and promptly put it on his head. Dumbledore didn't bother questioning what he was doing; he'd wait till later to do that.  
  
"Ahh, Severus Snape," said the Hat, "it seems like just yesterday I Sorted you. Something the matter?" "Am I Godric Gryffindor's heir? Because if I am then it makes no sense that I was put into Slytherin," he thought. "Mmm," said the Sorting Hat, "but you came very close to not being put in Slytherin. Don't you remember that day?" Severus shut his eyes, trying to recall everything of his own Sorting.  
  
"Snape, Severus!" Flitwick called. Severus stepped forward and put the Hat on; "Ahhh, you have plenty of courage, and a great mind," it said. "A decent heart too; you would make an excellent Gryffindor. But...your skills could be used for other things; great things, yes. You would be a most profound Slytherin indeed; it would certainly help you on your way to greatness. What do you say young Severus Snape?" He thought about it for a minute, trying to decide what he wanted. James had already been Sorted into Gryffindor, so he didn't want to be there... "Slytherin," he thought, "put me in Slytherin." "SLYTHERIN!" shouted the Hat.  
  
He opened his eyes again and realized that he had come very, very close to becoming a Gryffindor. "I cannot tell if you are the heir of Godric Gryffindor," the Hat said, "but there are signs that make it appear so. You, James and Harry Potter seem to be the most likely candidates for being related to Gryffindor. What say you, Severus Snape?" Severus hastily removed the Hat and slapped it back down in its' usual place. "Is something the matter?" said Dumbledore from his desk. "N-No, nothing, nothing at all," said Severus.  
  
He left Dumbledore's office without so much as another glance back at the Hat.  
  
***  
  
Harry fingered the belt buckle with concern; he didn't know how he'd come by it. He had never even known about the compartment behind the portrait until he heard that voice, itching for him to move the portrait aside. Severus came into through the portrait hole all of a sudden, hefting a large book under one arm and looking very shaken; "Harry, how did you know where to find that?" he said, looking at the buckle. "I don't know," he said with a shrug, "I just sort of found it." Severus slammed the book down on the common room table and said, "Here, read this." Harry got up and began to read the page:  
  
"Perhaps more than legend, Godric Gryffindor is said to have left three things behind for his true heir. These three possessions are said to hold very powerful magical qualities, although what they are remains a mystery even to this day. Gryffindor is said to have left the three items behind to help his heir when a time of true crisis has arisen; as to what this crisis might be, we may never know. The only thing known for certain is that Gryffindor left behind a necklace, belt buckle, and sword for his true heir to find. Supposedly clues to finding them are somewhere in Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, although these rumors have never been checked.  
  
Harry's eyes grew wide, "The sword...I pulled his sword out of the Sorting Hat in my second year!" "And you just now found the belt buckle," said Severus excitedly. "But if we have those two, then where's the necklace?" said Harry in a puzzled tone. He shut the book and began to pace the room, thinking about it adamantly. After ten minutes he stopped and looked at the portrait of Godric Gryffindor again. It wasn't until then that he noticed he was pointing at something; a very subtle gesture, yes, but he was pointing at something. Harry stepped forward and gazed at the portrait; Gryffindor's arms were crossed over his chest, and he looked like he was almost angry about something. But one finger was pointing to his left; Harry turned his gaze from the portrait to where his finger was pointing. Nothing other than the wall, just the plain, brick wall. But then he noticed a groove cut into the brick directly next to the portrait; a small, rectangular space cut out of the brick that one might never have noticed unless they looked for it. Harry felt it with his fingertips then realized what it was; "It's a lock," he said. "But where's the key?"  
  
Severus stood next to him and stared at the carving, unable to think of where one might find such an unusual key. Then everything clicked in Harry's brain; he put the buckle into the carving and the brick glowed a warm, orange color, then vanished. Harry peered into the space and saw a glittering, silver necklace lying inside the space. He pulled it out and fingered it slowly; there was a small, silver charm on the chain. It was none other than Godric Gryffindor's symbol, GG.  
  
Harry and Severus both scrambled out of the portrait hole, running as fast as they could to get to Dumbledore's office, where Gryffindor's sword lay.  
  
***  
  
The door bashed open and Dumbledore jumped; "Now really Severus, you can't come barging in all day long. I've got to get some work done." "Professor Dumbledore look!" cried Harry, shoving the buckle and necklace under his crooked nose. He picked them both up slowly, "You found them," he said softly. "Found the buckle behind the portrait of Gryffindor and the necklace inside a brick next to the portrait," said Severus, still gasping for breath from the long run. "Harry that means that you're Gryffindor's true heir," said Dumbledore, "and so are you Severus. You're both in his direct lineage." Harry nodded rapidly, "Exactly! And we both came up here because..." "The sword is here, and when all three are together they're said to have strong magical properties," finished Dumbledore. "Go get it then! It's right over there!" Harry ran over and picked up the large sword then set it down on Dumbledore's desk. He put the buckle and necklace down and they waited; nothing happened. "Harry, put them on," said Severus. "Erm, I dunno," said Harry nervously.  
  
"You've nothing to fear Harry, go ahead," said Dumbledore kindly. Harry picked up the buckle and snapped it onto his belt, then put the necklace around his neck. He gave Severus and Dumbledore one last look of anxiousness as he picked up the sword with both hands. There was a blast of wind and light and both Severus and Dumbledore were pushed back against the walls from the power of it, papers and books flying everywhere around them. Harry almost dropped the sword he was so surprised but he kept hold of it, and he felt himself glowing with a huge aura around him. The sword shone brightly, and Harry looked down to see that both the necklace and the buckle were glowing with internal energy. The powerful aura slowly began to diminish, until there was no more light and wind, except for a quiet, glowing light within the three magical items. Harry put the sword back down on Dumbledore's desk, "What was that?"  
  
Dumbledore let out a sigh, "It is as I thought; you are truly the heir of Godric Gryffindor." Harry looked down at the necklace and picked it up; it was glowing with its' own green light. He unsnapped the buckle and saw that it was not glowing, but there were runes on it that were. "I'm not at all good with Arithmancy," said Harry, "but I can tell there are runes on here." Severus picked it up and looked at the glowing green runes; "It says 'Only the true heir of Godric Gryffindor may wield his power.' Harry..." But he didn't have to say anymore; Harry was just as amazed as he was.  
  
***  
  
Everyone ate a quiet dinner in the Great Hall that night; quiet mostly because of Harry's story. But Ron and Hermione were looking at him with awe; their best friend was the heir to Godric Gryffindor. Severus, however, had something important nagging on the back of his mind. "Harry, I want to talk to you after dinner, right?" he said. "Sure Severus, whatever you want," he said absent-mindedly. Dinner came and went, and soon Harry found himself following Severus all the way to the Slytherin common room. 'Funny place to talk," said Harry. "There is a reason I chose this place," said Severus. "Come over and look at that portrait," he said, wheeling Harry around so he was facing a portrait of Salazar Slytherin. Harry didn't see anything until he realized that Slytherin was in the exact same pose as Gryffindor had been; pointing one finger at the wall. "Severus, tell me Slytherin didn't have the same idea as Gryffindor," said Harry, realizing what was going on.  
  
"That's just it Harry," said Severus, "Gryffindor came up with the original idea and Slytherin didn't like the idea of his own heir being without a weapon or anything of his own magical specialty. You never read the rest of that passage in the book did you? If you had you would know that Slytherin left behind three things; a ring, a staff, and a bracelet. They're all meant for his own heir." Harry swung the portrait aside and saw another little door with a silver ring for a handle; he opened it and found nothing inside. "But Severus, there's nothing in here," he said, then his eyes widened. "Someone else already figured it out," he said softly. He slammed the portrait shut and tapped the brick on its' other side, "You can't open it, you don't have the key," said Severus. "But I believe that would have unlocked the staff, and as to where the bracelet is...I have no idea."  
  
Harry stared at the portrait again and thought about it; then he noticed the dark band across Slytherin's wrist. He felt it; it was a groove cut into the portrait, as if something had once held a place there. "That's it, the bracelet was in the portrait," said Harry, "it had its' own little notch cut into Slytherin's wrist." "Yes, excellent Harry! But who took them?" said Severus. Harry looked up at him, "That's it; Voldemort was the heir of Salazar Slytherin when he was here. Remember that the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets could only be controlled by the Heir of Slytherin? When he was still Tom Riddle he had discovered it, but obviously he hadn't found where Slytherin's three items were. He got Crabbe to find them for him when he was here at the school, and now he's helping Voldemort. It all fits! Now all we've got to do is find him and capture him!" said Harry. "Although I'm glad you solved the puzzle," said Severus, "how are we to find him?"  
  
***  
  
Harry got hold of Hermione and asked her where the most Death Eater activity was centered around and likely places to find Voldemort; "Well the most likely one so far is the Black Forest in Germany. At least, that's where Voldemort might be." "Great, thanks Hermione; bye!" said Harry before she could say anything more. That night Harry paced his room anxiously; it was best he get it over with soon and without his friends getting involved, after all, he didn't want them to get hurt. He was getting dressed when he remembered the portrait of Gryffindor; a green cloak and black robes. He rummaged through his things until he found a green cloak and black robes; if he was going to do this with the help of Gryffindor's belongings, he might as well follow in his ancestor's footsteps.  
  
Harry Apparated to a small area outside of the Black Forest, the sword under his belt and the buckle clipped to the old battered black belt. He fingered the necklace slowly as he walked to the edge of the forest; he gripped the hilt of the sword with one hand and fingered his wand with the other. He'd probably need both. He had also hung the vial off his belt, and it looked perfectly harmless to everyone else. 'But it isn't to Voldemort,' thought Harry as he entered the forest. It was pitch dark in the forest, and now he understood why it was called the Black Forest; you could get lost in here if you didn't watch your step. "Lumos!" he whispered, his wand now alight. He continued on through the forest for some time when he saw a speck in the distance; it appeared to be a fire. Harry kept walking toward it and it steadily grew closer until he realized that there sat Vincent Crabbe, and with him was Voldemort. "Ahh how I've waited for this," he was saying as he placed a small, silver ring on his finger. A silver bracelet was dangling on his wrist, Harry noticed, and a brown, wooden staff was by his side. "The true Heir of Slytherin has risen again, only more powerful than before," said Voldemort.  
  
Crabbe bowed his head, "Yes my Lord." "And you young Vincent Crabbe!" said Voldemort, "What do you wish for? Does it remain the same as it ever was during our first meeting many years ago?" "Yes my Lord; I wish for immortality," he said. "Of course, of course, and who wouldn't? You shall have it my dear boy, and join me in slaughtering all those Mudbloods and Muggles." Harry stepped forward into the firelight, "He shall not have it if I have anything to say about it." "Harry Potter!" said Voldemort, red eyes gleaming, "What say you of the Heir of Slytherin now?" "I don't know, what say you of the Heir of Gryffindor?" Harry retorted. "Heir of Gryffindor?" Voldemort noticed the sword, buckle, and necklace, "Ahh, of course. It would only be fitting that my greatest enemy is also the heir to my own ancestor's greatest enemy. But enough talk; I've waited for this day over and over again, each time for it to be dashed to pieces by you or one of your friends. But not this time; not again," he said, a hiss in his voice, "now we shall fight as Heir of Slytherin against Heir of Gryffindor. Are you ready young Harry Potter?"  
  
Harry's eyes narrowed, "I'm more than ready." Just then they heard voices in the forest; "Harry! Harry!" called a familiar voice. It was Hermione, and Ron was following, then Severus and Sirius, then Draco, and finally Dumbledore all stopped just short of the firelight, all of them forming a large circle around Voldemort and Harry. "You shall not interfere this time I'm afraid," said Voldemort, and he slammed the staff hard into the ground. Flames erupted in a circle around them, keeping out Harry's friends. "Vincent dear boy," said Voldemort, turning to his helper, "stand aside for this no matter what happens; I want Potter for myself. But you may take the others later if you wish." Crabbe smiled a disgustingly evil smile and stepped back from Harry and Voldemort. "Ready boy?" said Voldemort, clutching the staff in one hand and his wand in the other. Harry gritted his teeth, "Don't call me 'boy.'"  
  
Voldemort's eyes flashed as he leapt at Harry and they began to fight; Voldemort would hit him with the staff and then try to hit him with a spell, but Harry was too quick and he parried off the blow with his sword and blocked the spells with his wand. Harry's friends could only watch helplessly as their friend fought without them, and Hermione put her head in her hands, unable to look. Harry was handling the situation quite well, actually, until Voldemort whipped about and hit him in the stomach with his staff as hard as he could. Harry tumbled backwards, the wind knocked out of him, and Voldemort pointed his wand down at Harry. "Goodbye Harry Potter," he said with a grin. But Harry would not be outdone and he held up the necklace and it blasted Voldemort over backward. "ARGH!" he shouted angrily, "You're going to suffer for that you fool!" He clenched his hand into a fist and pointed the silver ring at Harry, and a jet of green light came out of it. Harry barely managed to roll out of the way as it blasted a huge hole in the ground.  
  
He was still lying on the ground, and he fingered his belt buckle; he felt two switches there that he hadn't noticed before and pressed them. A jet of pink light shot out of his buckle and hit Voldemort in the knee. He fell and grabbed his knee, groaning in pain. Voldemort picked up the staff with one hand and limped over as quickly as he could to Harry, who was now scrambling for his sword. They both stood back up again, Voldemort and Harry now feeling very sore from their own injuries, and Voldemort tried to bring the wooden staff down on Harry's head. Harry brought the sword up to meet it and they both lit up with light, looking very lethal. Voldemort was gritting his teeth as he pushed back against the sword, trying to drive the one edge of the blade into Harry's skull. "Hey Riddle," said Harry; "What?" said Voldemort, "Don't you dare call me by that name." "Look down," said Harry with a hiss. Voldemort looked down to see Harry's one hand clenching the vial, "What is that boy?" said Voldemort. Harry popped the cap off and the Vacuum Charm began to howl like the wind, and it started sucking Voldemort inside it.  
  
"NOOO!" cried Voldemort as it began sucking his legs in. He dropped the staff and soon he was into the vial up to his waist. In a last desperate effort he pressed two small switches on his bracelet and shot Harry with a spell of blue light, knocking Harry over backward. Harry looked back just in time to see Voldemort trying to pull himself out of the vial, now into it up to his armpits. "DAMN YOU POTTER!" he screamed as he was completely sucked into the vial. The cap was sucked back onto it and the vial lay there silent on the ground. Harry was gasping for breath, and wanted nothing more than to rest when Vincent Crabbe let out a screech of anger. "MASTER!" he shouted, picking up the vial and trying to crack it open. "It's Unbreakable, Crabbe," said Harry with satisfaction, "don't even bother." Crabbe dropped the vial and stared at Harry with pure hatred.  
  
He picked up Voldemort's staff, "You're dead." He came running at Harry faster than Harry could have expected, and not knowing what else to do as he lay there on the ground he picked up the sword at the last second. Crabbe never saw it, and it plummeted into his stomach. He let out a choking sound and dropped the staff, falling to the side. Harry got up slowly, gasping for breath, and limped over to the dropped flask. "I told you not to call me 'boy,'" he said smugly. He picked up the staff and slammed it down on the ground twice, muttering a spell beneath his breath, and the fire ring that had once surrounded him disappeared. His friends came running to him all at once, and Harry found himself being hugged left and right. Then he heard a loud gurgling sound and he noticed that Crabbe was still alive; he limped back to him and bent over. Blood was pouring from his mouth; "Harry Potter..." he said softly. Harry leaned closer, barely able to hear the hoarse whisper; "...the Dark Lord will rise again," he said. His eyes closed, and Harry checked for a pulse; nothing. He looked up at Severus without saying anything; Severus returned his stare.   
  
"We must always be ready for the unexpected," Severus said wisely.  
  
***  
  
The newspapers had a field day with what had happened to Harry that night. 'The Boy Who Lived: Man or Legend?' Harry chuckled as he put the Daily Prophet down on the table; Rita Skeeter could say what she would, it really didn't bother him either way. He drank his orange juice in silence in the Great Hall, wondering what was next for him. Severus, however, seemed ready to answer that for him as he came running into the Hall and slammed another book down in front of him. "Look at this Harry," said Severus, gasping for breath, "there's something very important about it." "Oh for God's sake no more riddles okay?" said Harry with a weary smile, "I've had enough riddles with those stupid portraits for a lifetime." "No Harry, listen to me," said Severus excitedly. "This is a copy of the book Crabbe and Lucius Malfoy used to bring Voldemort back from the dead." "I'll not have anything to do with a book full of Dark magic," said Harry promptly, moving away from it slightly. "No, that's just it Harry! This is a White magic book; do you know what that means?" Harry stared at Severus and Severus stared back; "It's not possible Severus."  
  
"And why not?!" he cried happily, "Why can't we do it?! It's White magic, so it won't bother you or I, and it most certainly won't bother them. Harry, at least try this with me once, just once, please, I'm begging you." Harry felt adrenaline coursing through his veins; he wanted to, but did he dare? "All right, let's go!" said Harry, leaping over the table easily. They both ran out of the Great Hall as fast as they could, Severus leading Harry right out of Hogwarts.  
  
***  
  
The spell wasn't easy, but with their combined efforts it worked; and of course Severus had no problem with the potion part of it. They worked for two and a half hours until it was complete, "All right, it's done. Are you ready?" said Severus. Harry nodded slowly, "Yeah, I think so." They each took a cup of the potion and cast the spell over it; the potion changed from yellow to icy blue, and they exchanged glances nervously. Harry poured the cup over the one grave and Severus over the other. Then they waited, waited and waited until they heard a funny noise from under the ground. The graves were shuddering, until Harry saw one pale white hand protrude from the grave, covered in dirt. Then another hand appeared, and they began to work away the dirt until a head seemed about ready to protrude. The same thing happened in the other grave, only the hands were a much paler white. Finally a head burst out of the nearest grave; it had untidy black hair, and as it came out Harry recognized it easily as his father James. "Ugh! How did I end up in this?" said James as he pulled himself out of the grave. "Disgusting! Dirt everywhere! I'll never get this out of my clothes!" "The last time I checked, James Potter, you were into getting dirty," said Severus with a frown.  
  
"Severus?!" said James with a happy smile; then his eyes fell upon Harry. "Harry?" he said softly. Harry felt tears forming his eyes, "H-Hi dad." Meanwhile a red-haired woman had burst out of the other grave, "Oh how gross, dirt everywhere! I think it's under my fingernails..." She stopped and stared at Harry, "Er, hi mom," he said slowly, unsure of what exactly he should say. "Harry..." she said slowly. Before Harry even knew it both of his parents were hugging him so tightly he could barely breathe. "We missed you so much!" she sobbed into his hair. "I know I missed you too," said Harry, tears pouring down his cheeks. If time had frozen then, Harry would have died happy; he just wanted to hold his parents for the rest of eternity. For ten minutes they must have looked odd to other people; four people standing in a graveyard, three of them hugging and two of them covered in dirt. But Harry couldn't have cared less. Harry caught a glimpse of Severus over James' shoulder and noticed that he had covered his mouth with one hand; he was clearly in shock.  
  
James noticed where Harry's gaze had fallen and looked over his shoulder, "How are you over there?" he called. Severus couldn't answer; he was still too shocked. "Oh come on," said James, walking over and hugging his brother, "say something!" Severus hugged him back, "Stupid Gryffindor!" "Nerdy Slytherin!" retorted James with a laugh. "Ugh!" said Lily in an aggravated tone, "All these years later and they're still doing that. Grow. Up." "Doing what?" said Harry. "Oh their idea of being funny," she said with a sigh, "back at Hogwarts they'd pretend like they weren't brothers, so they'd throw people off by calling each other nasty names even though they were just joking. It's so stupid." "It is not!" said James as the four of them began to walk back to Hogwarts. "You just can't take a joke." "Yeah, sure, that's it," said Lily sarcastically. "You know you say that to everyone? You said that to the groundskeeper when you blew up his hedges." "Now that was Sirius' idea, not mine," said James hastily. "Maybe, but you still went along with it," warned Lily. Harry gave Severus an odd look; 'Just ignore it,' he mouthed. James caught on and said, "No Harry! Don't ignore it! You'll need to know this stuff for any practical jokes you want to play on your friends!"  
  
Harry grinned, "That reminds me, I don't think you've met the Weasley twins, but I believe you, Sirius, and Professor Lupin would get along with them just fine." "Professor Lupin? Ha! What a laugh!" said James; "And I suppose next you'll be telling me Sirius works for the Ministry of Magic." "Actually yes he does James," said Severus, "he's an Auror." James rolled his eyes, "All my friends gone off to be careerists with professional jobs. What is the world coming to?!" "Yes Harry," said Severus as James and Lily continued arguing, "I do believe he'd get along very well indeed with the Weasley twins."  
  
***  
  
They reintroduced Sirius to Lily and James later on that day, and he fell to his knees with shock. "P-Prongs? Lily?" he said slowly. "Oh get up Padfoot old friend," said James, helping him up. "B-But you were..." "Yes dead we know," said James, "but what can you do?" he shrugged. Sirius hugged him and Lily both, practically on the verge of hysterics, "I don't believe what I'm seeing..." he said.  
  
Professor Lupin didn't either. "Moony! How've you been?" said James. Remus Lupin could only stare in amazement; "G-Good...surprisingly good." "Oh come on now don't stare!" said James. Remus hugged James tightly and then stopped, "This is incredible."  
  
They all ate dinner in the Great Hall that night, and Ron, Hermione, and Draco had glassy looks in their eyes whenever they fell upon James and Lily Potter. "Harry...this is amazing," Hermione told him. "I can't believe this." Harry nodded, "Yeah, me neither." Dumbledore came walking into the Hall just then; they'd been unable to find him all day so his presence was now a very much welcome sight. "Professor Dumbledore!" said Harry, "Where've you been?" "Hello Harry; off at the Ministry on some busine-" his eyes fell on James and Lily, who waved at him. He peered over his half-moon spectacles at them, clearly not sure he was seeing correctly. "James Potter and Lily Evans?" he said slowly. James nodded, "Hello Professor Dumbledore!" "Hello Headmaster," said Lily politely. "Astounding..." muttered Dumbledore, "...absolutely astounding..."  
  
***  
  
Harry was present at the end of the following year, eagerly awaiting Dumbledore's end of year announcement. Ron, Hermione, James, Lily, and Sirius had also managed to make it as well, and Harry was glad for it. "I would like to say something a bit more than is typical of me at the end of the year," said Dumbledore. "I have spent fifty years of my life here at Hogwarts as Headmaster, and another twenty as a Hogwarts teacher and head of Gryffindor house. But now my time here has come to pass, and I have enjoyed every bit of it so much that I cannot possibly express it to you in words. However, my age, I'm afraid, is beginning to catch up with me; dear Hogwarts students and good friends, may I introduce to you your new Headmaster, Professor Severus Snape!" The students broke into a loud applause, which Harry was glad to see; since Harry had found out about his relation to Severus he'd warmed up quite considerably as a teacher and a person. Obviously, he was now popular with the students versus how it was when Harry was at school and everybody hated him.  
  
Severus stepped up to the podium, and Harry could tell he was a bit nervous. "Despite my new appointment as Headmaster, I will not be continuing on as your Potions Master. Therefore, to take my place, I have appointed Professor Harry Potter as the new Potions Master and head of Gryffindor house!" Harry waved from his spot at the staff table, feeling a bit nervous himself. Draco nudged him, "That means we can't like each other anymore, what with me being the head of Slytherin." "Yeah right Draco, we'd never fight over something so childish as that would we?" said Harry. "Have you forgotten all those Slytherin versus Gryffindor battles when we were here?" "No, of course not; how could I forget?" said Harry.  
  
***  
  
Harry went into his office, holding a plaque in his hands. On it was engraved, "Professor Harry Potter, Potions Master and head of Gryffindor house." The years would be added in later when he retired from his job. Harry looked around the office, trying to decide where to put it.   
  
He found the perfect spot right next to his family portrait. 


	4. Through Heaven and Hell: the Snake vs. t...

Through Heaven and Hell:  
The Snake vs. The Lion  
The vial began to shake and rattle irritably. It rumbled and rumbled until one might have thought the ground would crack before it. Finally it erupted with a huge explosion and a God-awful scream erupted from it, sounding like a high-pitched, inhuman screech. "HHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIII!" he screamed as his limbs burst out of the vial. He lay there aching with pain, not knowing how long he'd been in the vial. Blood gushed from tiny wounds in his pale skin from the Fire Walls and glass; even now that he was out of the vial, he wasn't sure if he could survive in his body. But no matter the pain; one thing, one image was still burning in his mind.  
  
Harry Potter.  
  
***  
  
His scar was burning far worse than it ever had before, and Harry felt himself wanting to pass out, but tried to resist. Stumbling blindly out of bed he steadied himself on the fireplace until the pain gradually died away after another excruciating ten minutes. "Harry? What's wrong?" said Ginny, sitting up in bed. 'Fifteen years gone by and nothing, not so much as a twang from my scar,' thought Harry, 'we made the vial Unbreakable, we put Fire Walls in it, Memory Charms, everything imaginable...I refuse to believe it.' He shut his eyes stubbornly, "Nothing's wrong Ginny, go back to sleep. I just had a nightmare, that's all."  
  
***  
  
Despite what he'd told Ginny, inwardly he was still unsure of himself and he Apparated to Hogwarts a bit earlier than usual. He didn't go down to the dungeons where his Potions classroom was, but instead headed to a large stone gargoyle on one of the main floors. "Furnunculus Charm!" said Harry, reciting the password. The gargoyle came to life and sprang aside, and the entrance to the Headmaster's stairs was revealed. Climbing up them quickly he knocked on the door but no one answered; "Severus?" he said, peeking around the door. No one was there, but he knew it was only a matter of time till he showed up so he waited in one of the chairs. The office hadn't changed much since Dumbledore had been there; there were only two exceptions. A new portrait had been added onto the pictures of the previous Headmasters of Hogwarts, and it was none other than Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore noticed Harry's presence in the room and waved from his spot in the portrait, then went back to sleep. The other exception was the absence of Dumbledore's pet phoenix Fawkes; instead there was a grindylow in a cage filled with water, sitting on top of a cabinet. It shook its' fist at him irritably then disappeared amongst the weeds, although Harry could still see a pair of gleaming eyes staring at him through the tangle.  
  
Harry made a face at it then propped his head up on one hand, trying to think. If his scar was telling the truth, and it always had, there was much more at risk than there had been fifteen years ago when he'd first been sealed in that vial. Harry had a wife and a son now, and when Voldemort found that out he was certain to go after them first; then he'd come after Harry. Ron and Hermione had more to lose too; they were both very happily married to each other and they had two kids. Harry ran his fingers through his hair anxiously, "Not now, this can't possibly be happening now..." Just then the door to the office opened and Severus Snape stepped in. He'd aged very well so far; only a few fine streaks of silver had appeared in his jet black hair, and he didn't look much different from when Harry had first begun his wizard training at Hogwarts. Although Harry was going to tell Severus about what had happened last night he didn't get the chance; instead Severus strode over and pulled back the sleeve of his robe to reveal the Dark Mark burning angrily on his forearm. "Tell me I'm going blind," he said. Harry shook his head and pulled back his bangs to reveal his scar, "It woke me up this morning; it hurt worse than its ever hurt before."  
  
Severus bowed his head and sat down at his desk, "I'm not sure how much more of this I can take. I may not survive again. What am I saying? It's you I should be worried about, with how you're always the one who ends up destroying him." Harry laughed joylessly, "Not destroying him; prolonging the inevitable, perhaps." "We're in trouble either way," said Severus with a dark sigh, "you'd better get hold of Ron and Hermione. I'll go talk to Draco and the rest of the staff." Harry left using Floo Powder, arriving at the Ministry of Magic moments later. 'Probably not even here yet,' he thought as he knocked on Hermione's office. Her flustered face appeared a moment later, and she was carrying a large stack of books, "Oh hi Harry!" 'Who was I kidding?' thought Harry; "Hi Hermione, er, listen, we need to talk."  
  
Hermione had listened intently to everything Harry had said, then bit her lip. "Well," she said finally, "we're in a bit of pickle."  
  
***  
  
Ron flipped over backward and slapped the Quaffle away from the hoop with the tail of his broom; "Ha! Take that George!" "Oh shut up Ron you great git," George said, throwing the Quaffle at his head. Ron ducked then noticed that his best friend was waiting for him on the ground, "Time out!" he called, speeding off to Harry. "Hey Harry what's up?" he asked, jumping off his broom lightly. Then he saw the look on Harry's face; "All right game over for today!" he shouted at the players in the air. "Why? What happened?" said Charlie Weasley. "Scared out of his wits more than likely," said Bill. "I don't need a reason now go home!" shouted Ron. "All right Harry, what happened?"  
  
Ron paced his room irritably as Harry told him about what had been going on lately. "So do we have any idea as to where he is?" he said after Harry had finished. "Not yet, but Hermione is already on it," said Harry. "Severus is telling the teachers too, and after that he'll probably get hold of the usuals and tell them about it." "Right, naturally," said Ron, "well, I'll tell my brothers and mum and dad. Ginny knows?" "Er, no, not yet," said Harry sheepishly, "I didn't want to worry her." "Ha!" Ron laughed, "Yeah Harry, that's a good one."  
  
***  
  
Harry stopped by his parents' flat later on after he'd talked to Ron. His father had been in the store stocking Fanged Frisbees when he'd arrived, "Hi Dad, how's business?" He shrugged, "Same as usual; giving Zonko's a run for his money." After Harry and Severus had brought back his parents, Harry had introduced James to the Weasley twins Fred and George. He'd gone nuts over their joke shop and was now a partner in it, much to Lily's displeasure. They lived in a small flat right above the shop, and despite James' oddball job as part owner of a joke shop Harry knew he worked hard at it. He just loved to play jokes on people; just the other day he'd slipped Harry a Canary Cream in his pie. Harry had now made a firm regulation with his father that he used often with the Weasley twins; never accept so much as a crisp from any of them.  
  
Harry explained what was happening to James, and a dark, hateful look grew on his face. "Voldemort," said James, "I swear if I ever meet him I'll kill hi-" "Don't bother," said Harry, "I know that everyone wants to kill him but you know why we can't." "Ah yes, of course, resurrecting him using that book," said James, "but you know I was just speaking figuratively." 'Sure Dad, sure,' thought Harry. "You tell Mom, okay? I've got to get back to Hogwarts," said Harry. "Get hold of me if anything new develops!" his father shouted after him as Harry left the store, "I know! I will!" said Harry. Then he Disapparated back to his home; 731 North Hogsmeade.  
  
***  
  
"Ginny!" Harry called; it was evening now, so she'd probably be in the kitchen. Suddenly she came from around the corner, "Hi Harry," she said, kissing him lightly on the cheek, "how was your day?" "Ginny, we need to talk. Now." She frowned, "What happened?"  
  
Ginny had slapped him on the arm with frustration when he'd finished his story; "I told you to tell me what happened!" "I know, I know, but I didn't want you to freak out," he said with a shrug. Just then his son came walking into the room, "Hi Dad, how's it going?" he asked. Their son, James Severus Potter was eleven years old, and had already attended his first year at Hogwarts. He looked remarkably like Harry, except he had Ginny's nose and his hair was a bit redder. "I'm fine Jack," he said, ruffling his son's hair. "You don't look so good," said Jack with a frown. "Well at least you're observant," said Harry with a sigh.  
  
Then his head burst with pain.  
  
Harry clutched his head, stars in his eyes, and stumbled backward. He could see another vision, but what was it? It was none other than his own house, of course. But why would he be seeing his house? He only saw things that Voldemort saw. Harry's eyes snapped open and he grabbed Jack and Ginny, then threw Floo Powder on the fireplace. "Get to Hogwarts NOW!" he shouted. "Harry why..." "NOW!" screamed Harry. Ginny leapt into the fire with Jack and shouted, "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" They were gone. Harry ran to the window and looked out to see a hooded black figure on his front lawn; a wand was suddenly raised. Harry's eyes grew wide and he jumped into the fireplace and shouted, "HOGWARTS!" Just as he began to spin out of the fireplace he heard a deafening cracking noise and saw his house falling apart behind him.  
  
***  
  
Severus tapped his fingers on the desk nervously; Harry still hadn't shown up yet. Ginny and Jack had run into his office only moments before, scared out of their wits and explaining what had happened. Suddenly the door burst open and Harry limped in, covered with dirt and soot, and one ankle looking very swollen. Harry didn't say anything and instead kept limping right on by until he reached a crystal case on a shelf in Severus' office; inside it was the sword of Godric Gryffindor. Harry pulled it out then pulled out a silver belt buckle and snapped it onto his belt. He also pulled out the necklace which had been hanging round his neck under his t-shirt, letting it fall onto his robes. He immediately began limping back out of the office again but Severus said; "Don't. He'll kill you easily when you're in a state like that." Harry threw down the sword and limped over to Severus' desk, leaned forward and put his hands down on it. "Rubeus Hagrid once told me that Hogwarts was the safest place on Earth." Severus nodded slowly, "It is." Harry pointed at Jack and Ginny, "Prove it."  
  
***  
  
Severus had special arrangements made for Jack and Ginny to stay at Hogwarts for as long as was needed. Jack stayed in what was soon to be his second year dormitory and Ginny stayed in a makeshift bed in Harry's office. They did, however, keep a bed nearby for Jack whenever he felt like staying round his parents for the night.   
  
Harry, Sirius, Ron, James, and Severus went back to Harry's house in the morning. It was nothing more than a pile of rubble. Harry kicked at some of it irritably, then rummaged through it, finding a few possessions here and there. He found Jack's favorite book, a little tattered looking, but still in semi-good condition; he pocketed it for later. "I don't believe this..." said Ron softly, staring at the demolished house; "he's returned even more powerful than before..." Sirius noticed that Harry had his back to all of them, staring into the forest behind what had been their house. "Harry?" said Sirius slowly. Harry didn't say anything for several minutes, and James, Ron, Sirius, and Severus were beginning to feel a very eerie silence growing. "Harry?" said Ron softly. Harry suddenly threw down his wand, "VOOOOOLDEMOOOORT!" he screamed, "YOU COWARD!" He slammed his fist into what was left of a wall and it blew itself into pieces; the sheer power coming off of him knocking his friends and family backward.  
  
Ron's vision of his friend changed; he was no longer Harry Potter the great Quidditch player or Potions Master, he was a deadly wizard no one wanted to go near. "Harry stop!" said Severus, grabbing him from behind. "He almost killed my family," said Harry, tears in his eyes. "I know Harry, I know," he said hugging him tightly.  
  
  
Voldemort watched with pleasure from the tree line of the forest. "Be afraid boy," said Voldemort, "I meant to take your family this time, but you were clever enough to get them away." He looked down at his hand, observing a thin scar that had been cut into it from one of the shards of the crystal vial he had called prison for fifteen years. "But you will not be so lucky next time; that is what frightens you."  
  
***  
  
The school year began without much event. It was Jack's second year at the school, and he was very eager to start learning and to get back to seeing his friends. He'd become best friends with Ron and Hermione's kids, Harry and Sirius; both obviously named after Harry Potter and Sirius Black. Since the three had come to school, however, they were clearly beginning to show signs of following in their parents' and grandparents' footsteps. Already Harry, Sirius, and Jack had had a few midnight adventures resulting in two detentions and points from Gryffindor. Although Harry didn't like having to take away points from his house because his son was out causing trouble, he couldn't help but smile, remembering all his own adventures at Hogwarts. James, Fred, George, and Sirius were all for it, however, and we're constantly trying to get Harry to give Jack his old Invisibility Cloak so Jack wouldn't get caught in the middle of the night, wandering down to the kitchens or going through the Restricted Section of the library. "Nothing wrong with a bit of fun," George had told him one day while Harry had been in their store, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.  
  
"Yeah Harry," Fred said, "why not pass along the Marauder's Map and the Cloak eh? It's only fair you know." Harry had frowned, "No...er, at least, not yet." "Ahh, that's the spirit Harry!" James had said from around the corner where he'd been filling up the barrel of Cockroach Clusters. "After all, what sort of father wouldn't give his son great stuff like that?" "A good one probably," said Sirius from a corner where he'd been sucking on a Fizzing Whizbee. "Shh! Shut up!" said James, hurling a Cluster at his head. "You'll make him think twice about it!" "Probably should anyway," said Harry with a roll of his eyes.  
  
  
The school year had only been going on for about two months when Harry had felt an uneasy feeling in his stomach while he had been teaching. He had Jack, Sirius, Harry, and Jonathan Longbottom in this class, so he had to keep very focused indeed on all of them. Harry had just sat down at his desk, letting the class make the Confusion Potion when he felt his mind beginning to wander. He reflected later on that it probably wasn't the wisest idea. "No wait Jonathan don't add that!" cried Jack's voice. Too late.  
  
"BOOM!"  
  
The classroom shuddered as blue potion went everywhere; "Oh for goodness sake Jonathan not again!" said Patrick Finnigan irritably. "Sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking..." moaned Jonathan, "wait a minute, where am I? What's going on? Who are you?" "Well at least we know his Confusion Potion works," said Sirius with a frown. "Huh? Have we met before? No, I don't think so," said Jack. Harry Weasley rolled his eyes, "You're both stupid as far as I'm...heyyy...why am I in a dungeon?"  
  
Harry Potter tried not to laugh and said, "Just to clarify for all that don't know, you're in Potions class with me in Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry." "Sure, sure, but who are you?" said Patrick. "Oh, Professor Potter, Harry Potter," he said as he began to clean up the blue potion. "Hmm, name sounds familiar," said Jack thoughtfully. "I'd hope so," said Harry, "I'll be right back. I'm going to make a potion to fix this up real quick." Harry went into his office and began pulling ingredients out of his private stores when he felt a prickling feeling of dread in the back of his mind. He tried to ignore it and continued putting things into the cauldron when he felt it again. Harry put down his bottle of Spine of Lionfish and peeked out the door; everything still as chaotic as ever in the classroom. He turned back and decided to look out the window; what he saw shocked him.  
  
Severus was walking across the grounds, but from this distance he couldn't tell that anything was wrong until he began to come closer. He wasn't walking; he was limping. His robes were in bloody tatters, and he was clearly on the verge of exhaustion. Harry ran out of the door as fast as he could and stopped only to get Draco Malfoy to help him. They both sprinted through the halls and out the main doors, grabbing the attention of a few teachers who followed them as soon as they realized something was wrong. Severus had just limped past Greenhouse 3 when they finally reached him; "What happened?" said Harry, putting an arm underneath his to support him. "Are you going to be okay?" said Draco, getting his other side and helping him across the Hogwarts lawn. "Just let me get up to my office," said Severus tiredly. "No way, you're going to the hospital wing," said Harry. Severus looked like he was trying to complain but gave up; it looked like it hurt too much. Other teachers soon came down the lawn, helping the three of them up to the hospital wing.  
  
***  
  
Severus awoke in the hospital wing a day later, his palms bandaged up and his one broken ankle in a splint. He tried to sit up but discovered it hurt far too much and lay down again. He couldn't help but wonder if the nurse had seen it or not; he lifted up the sleeve of his robe to reveal the Dark Mark. But it was a much different Dark Mark than the clear black one that had burned there months ago; it was now a bright, poisonous green.  
  
***  
  
Three days later he was released from the hospital wing, and was accompanied by Harry and Draco to his office. "This isn't necessary you know," he'd said off-handedly as they climbed the spiral staircase. "We think it is," said Draco. "Of course," muttered Severus beneath his breath as they went into his office. "All right, you've had four days to keep us in suspense; now out with it!" said Draco as he sat down. "Alright alright!" said Severus snappishly. "I just didn't want to worry either of you." "Well it's a bit late for that," said Harry. "Let's just get to it please?" said Draco with annoyance. "Okay, but we'll have to go back a day or two before you saw me on the grounds," said Severus finally.  
  
"A few days before I had been in touch with a few people who'd be seeing things lately; very odd things. They were mostly Muggles who had seen a skull eating a snake over a forest or a house, so naturally I went out and did a bit of investigating on my own. I mean it was obviously the Dark Mark, there was no question about that; but what perplexed me the most was when I was flying over Germany and I decided to pay a visit to the Black Forest. After all, it had been the last place Voldemort had been at. I stopped at about a hundred yards away from the edge of the forest because I'd noticed a fire in the middle of it, about a kilometer away from me. Even though I knew it was probably unwise to go by myself I went anyway and saw Voldemort sitting by himself near a small fire."  
  
"You didn't actually try to kill him did you?" said Harry. "Kill him? Harry, that's impossible," said Severus almost lightly, "I did, however, try to at least knock him out long enough so I could get him to the Ministry of Magic and have the Dementors suck out his soul." "I thought the Dementors stopped working with us," said Draco. "Well they still do, or rather, some of them do," said Harry, "whenever they're offered souls to suck they help us without hesitating." "Exactly what I was thinking," said Severus, "but I knew I was too weak with only my wand so I used a Summoning Charm to bring Godric Gryffindor's belongings to me." "What? No you didn't, they're with..." Harry said, feeling under his shirt for his necklace; it wasn't there. "You? No Harry, you must have taken it off because it came easily to me, as did the buckle. The sword was easy enough; it was in my office at the time.  
  
"While I waited for them to come to me I noticed something," he said, and he pulled back his sleeve to reveal the Dark Mark, only instead of the usual black color it was a deadly-looking bright green. "My Mark had turned colors; it was no longer black, and it no longer hurt. Instead it had burned green but it was completely painless; I can tell you that even though I had been a Death Eater for over five years I knew nothing of what this meant." Suddenly he sighed, "This is too much for me to tell; I've got a better idea." He got up and went over to a large black cabinet in the corner of the office and unlocked the door. "Before Dumbledore left he gave me something of his that he said would not be of much use to him anymore," he said as he rummaged through the cabinet. He pulled out a large stone bowl with runes written across it; "Dumbledore's Pensieve?" said Harry. "Yes," said Severus, "he said I'd be needing it and so far he's been right." He set it down on the desk and put the tip of his wand to his head, then pulled it away; funny looking silver hairs were clinging to it, and he swirled it into the mysteriously bright white liquid in the Pensieve. "Go ahead, now you can see for yourselves," he said. Harry and Draco exchanged looks, then they both leaned into the Pensieve and the world fell away from them, and instead they found themselves one on each side of Severus, who was riding a broomstick in the blackness of night over a forest.  
  
"What's going on?" said Draco. "Where are we?" "We're inside the Pensieve Draco, watching what happened to Severus that night, now be quiet!" said Harry. Draco fell silent as Harry asked, although Harry was positive he would have done it even if he hadn't. They both watched as Severus pulled back the sleeve of his arm, oblivious to his other two visitors, and they saw that his Mark was a bright green, almost glowing in the dark. 'So that's what he was talking about,' thought Harry as he leaned over to get a good look at it. "Hey! Look!" Draco hissed suddenly, pointing into the distance. They could both see three tiny silver pinpricks from the glint of the moon, but what they were they could not say. Then Harry realized that they must have been Gryffindor's possessions, finally arriving via Severus' Summoning Charm. Severus looked up and saw them closing in and shot off into the darkness, and Harry and Draco found themselves keeping up with him, although how they weren't sure. Severus caught the sword by the handle and snatched up the necklace and buckle with ease; even now Harry was positive he would have made a great Quidditch player had he gone in for the sport.  
  
After donning the three of them, Severus took off for the fire. Harry and Draco followed, both very curious as to what was going to happen next. There was Voldemort, sitting by the fire, and in the flickers of firelight Harry and Draco could both see fine scars that were wrought into his face. Severus landed easily, only a few feet from him; "Well look who it is," snapped Voldemort. He had clearly changed attitude-wise; he was no longer cocky and cool as he had been, but had become quick and snappish, no longer about putting on a good show before killing someone. "My faithful Death Eater come to visit me? The Headmaster of Hogwarts Severus Snape; how cute and pathetic." "You're the one that's pathetic," said Severus coldly, "looking all scarred and damaged. What did you have to do to escape your prison? Use an Engorgement Charm? Is that how you got all cut up and burnt? From the Fire Walls and crystal shards?" Voldemort's red eyes gleamed with anger, "For the fifteen years of imprisonment you, Potter, Granger, Weasley and the rest gave to me, you will suffer dearly. I will not be kind this time; for fifteen years I brooded inside that vial, and I will pay you all back tenfold because of it."  
  
Severus narrowed, "Just try it." Voldemort balled his fists venomously, "You are going to suffer more than you have in your entire life. I'll have you begging for me to kill you by the time I'm finished." "Empty threats as far as I'm concerned," said Severus with a shrug, "because no one knows you're alive, no one will join you, but I have everyone on my side." "No you don't," said Voldemort, "because you're dead."  
  
What ensued was a rather large fight that Harry and Draco both tried to jump into, only to realize that they were inside the Pensieve; they couldn't help Severus in the slightest. They both gave each other hard beatings, and Severus was completely bloodied while Voldemort was covered in large swelling bruises and cuts. Voldemort took a cheap shot and hit Severus so hard in the gut he spat blood, then smashed him in the back of the head. Severus passed out with pain, and Voldemort stood there for a moment, gazing down at him. "You're not dead, not yet," he growled, picking him up by the arm, "because I'm gonna leave you as a little warning to the rest of your friends." The world suddenly swirled with color and Harry and Draco realized they were no longer in the Black Forest; instead they had Apparated with Severus and Voldemort to Hogwarts. Voldemort dropped Severus behind a bush just off the grounds; "You are saved for now, but don't expect such kindness again. Expect death at the next run-in; for now, however, you will run to Potter, Malfoy, Weasley and the rest, warning them." He cackled nastily and Apparated; he was gone. Harry and Draco suddenly felt a pulling force, and they were being sucked out of the scene.  
  
They were back in the office. Severus had pulled both of them out of the Pensieve; "Well, that explains a lot," said Draco apprehensively. "It means we've got to find him and get him quick," said Harry, "because from the way he was talking..." "The next one of us he meets he'll kill," said Severus plainly. "I don't know about either of you two," said Draco with a shrug, "but I'm carrying my wand with me day and night from now on. Probably need a bloody Dementor escort at this rate..." he grumbled. "He's right about that; we'll be needing the Dementors again. I wonder if..." said Harry softly. "What?" "Erm...the Dementors...they suck out souls; so what happens to a soul when it gets sucked out? Is it dead? Does it feed the Dementor? What does it do?" Severus shook his head, "That I do not know. Why does it matter?" Harry shrugged, "Er, well, alright; now we know we can't technically 'kill' Voldemort because there's always some sicko out there willing to bring him back. We tried encapsulating his soul in a vial, and that worked for about fifteen years then he figured out how to get past it. So neither killing him nor casing him has worked; but we're yet to find out what happens when his soul gets sucked right out of him."  
  
"You think a Dementor may completely, totally, and once and for all kill a person?" said Draco. "That's just it; we don't know. If a Dementor sucks out a soul, where does it go? We know it makes the Dementor feel better, but that's it." "Soul food," snorted Draco with a laugh. Harry rolled his eyes, "I guess, but...the Dementor's Kiss has proven fatal to everyone else, and no one has been brought back, so..." "We don't know that for sure," said Draco, "maybe it's just that no one's bothered bringing back someone who's been killed by a Dementor." "We need to test it," said Severus, "and I have no idea how to do that." Harry stood up and stretched, "I have an idea. We'll try to bring back someone who died by a Dementor; if we can't do it, then that proves no one can and we kill him that way. If we can, then we find another way to kill him." "And just who do you propose we try to resurrect?" said Draco. Harry sighed, "Your father." Draco bit his lip, "Oh."  
  
***  
  
Lucius Malfoy had been killed years ago by the Dementor's Kiss. Harry, Draco, and Severus had witnessed it themselves; now it was time to find out if that person's soul could be resurrected or not. Harry wasn't sure if Draco was hoping for a yes or a no on that question; on the one hand his father would be alive again, but on the other it meant Voldemort could come back that way and it would cancel that idea out. Harry wasn't even sure if Draco still had any shred of love left for his father; especially with how he'd met his end.  
  
Harry paced the room, waiting for any sort of news; Severus, Draco, and Hermione had gone off to do what was needed two hours ago, leaving Harry to watch over the school. Suddenly the door opened and Draco stepped in, "Well?" said Harry. He shook his head, "He didn't come back." Harry let out a sigh of relief, then, "Oh Draco, I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." "Don't worry, I know what you meant," said Draco, shrugging him off, "I didn't want him back. Don't worry about it." Severus and Hermione came in, "Good-o right?" said Hermione. "Yeah," said Harry, "Good."  
  
***  
  
Three months had passed since then without any sightings of Voldemort, which made all of them feel very apprehensive. After weeks of planning, however, Sirius, Remus Lupin, James and Lily, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Draco, Severus, and Arthur Weasley got together. Tonight was the night where they would go out on a deliberate search for the thing called Voldemort. "He's just waiting for the perfect time to get one of us," Harry had said one night, "I know he is. We might as well speed up the process and go get him before he can come get us." They'd agreed with Harry, much to his surprise, and they'd gotten permission from the Ministry to take two Dementors along with them in case they encountered him. They hit the heaviest areas of Dark activity first, and broke up and arrested five Death Eaters, but did not find Voldemort. Then they journeyed through Knockturn Alley and found a meeting inside Borgin and Burkes; they caught eight of them in there, but still no Voldemort. "He's getting smart about this," said Hermione as soon as they had finished Apparating to Hogsmeade, "he knows he's likely to get caught in those places." Harry frowned angrily, "I want to find him quickly; I've had enough of these stupid cat and mouse games."  
  
They dispersed for the night, and Fred, George, James, and Lily went back to their store. Arthur Weasley went home, and Ron and Hermione went up to Hogwarts for bed. Only Harry, Remus, Sirius, Draco, and Severus remained, stopping at the Three Broomsticks. "At least tonight hasn't been a total failure, what with those Death Eaters and all," said Draco as he drank his butterbeer. Harry frowned at him and Draco was quiet. All of them knew how much Harry had wanted Voldemort dead, especially after the attack on his family. Severus stood up, "I have to go back to the castle, but I'll see all of you later." He said goodnight and left, and Harry sat at the table looking glum for several more minutes. "Harry, you can't have expected for him to just walk right into our arms," said Sirius, "we're talking about the evilest, foulest thing on the planet. He's got to have some cunning." Harry smiled wanly, "I guess so. I'm leaving for the night; see you guys later."  
  
Harry kicked a few stones in the path irritably as he walked up to Hogwarts; yes, true enough they'd caught several Death Eaters tonight...but not the Death Eater. Voldemort. "Voldemort," he said as he entered the Hogwarts gates. Harry shook his head, then stopped; he could hear noises. Where were they coming from? Somewhere out here on the grounds, no doubt. He listened carefully, barely breathing; it sounded like metal clanking against something else. Like a sword fight, out toward the Forbidden Forest. Harry ran to the edge of the forest and saw a yellow speck in the distance; he ran as fast as he could, stopping only to ignite his wand with his Lumos spell. Two people were fighting near a fire; as he grew closer he saw that one of them was a tall man in sweeping black robes. It was Severus, and he was fighting with Voldemort. "Nox!" said Harry as he ran, extinguishing his wand; he ran into the circle of light and flame. Severus and Voldemort caught each other with sword and staff, and Harry cried, "Voldemort!" They both stopped and turned to Harry, "Harry!" said Severus, shocked at his nephew's sudden turn-up.  
  
Voldemort saw the opportunity and took it; it happened almost in slow motion, not just to Harry, but to Severus too. He dropped the staff from his hands and ripped the sword from Severus' hands, whirled about in a complete circle and rammed the sword straight through his stomach. His eyes bulged from his sockets as he fell silently to the ground; all Voldemort could do was grin in triumph. Harry felt a thousand knives stab him in the heart, and he clutched the sides of his face with his hands, "NOOOOOOO!" Voldemort turned to Harry, "It's been a pleasure seeing the pain on your face. It's like seeing my own pain from those fifteen years of imprisonment turn up inside you. But now, I must go; goodbye for now Potter," he said, raising his wand, "until we meet again. Aparecium!" and he was gone. Harry ran to Severus, who was lying on his side, the sword still inside him. Harry's hands shook and tears poured down his face; he was near half hysteria, and he didn't know what to do.  
  
"What do I do?" moaned Harry as he tried to cover the wound with his hands, hoping to stop the bleeding. "Oh my God there's so much blood," he sobbed, "please don't die please, please, please..." "It's too late Harry," said Severus slowly, blood beginning to come out of his mouth, "it's too late." "No it's not," said Harry as he shot up a jet of red sparks from his wand; international wizard code for 'I need help now.' A few lights flicked on in the castle; someone had seen him, and Harry continued to pour sparks from his wand. "Just wait Severus, don't move, don't do anything, I'll get you help," he said. Severus weakly pulled on Harry's robes, bringing them face to face, "Too late Harry. Too late." Harry cried and cried, not knowing what else to do as he listened to Severus speak, "Just watch the school and the students. Be wary of everyone; it's how I survived for so many years. If only I hadn't been foolish tonight..." "Please don't talk, please, you're wasting your strength..." moaned Harry. He could hear voices now; people were coming from the school, "Just hang on, just another minute." Severus said nothing, and Harry bent over him, "Another minute, alright? Severus?"   
  
Severus didn't answer.  
  
***  
  
They found Harry on the verge of insanity, shaking Severus' dead body, trying to wake him up. There was much debate over whether or not they should take him to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, but they left him in his room in the end. Harry didn't answer the door when his mother and father came to visit him, didn't open it to Draco, Hermione, or Ron, didn't say anything when Ginny and even Jack came by. He just sat and cried. That was all he could do. He thought mostly about how much he hated Voldemort, and how much he loved Severus. If only they'd had more time together, he would have spent it more wisely, or he would have gone up to the castle with him instead of letting him walk up alone. If only he'd had more time, he would have...  
  
***  
  
Harry burst into Hermione's office, "Harry?! Oh I'm so glad you're all right! Ron and I were so worried that you..." "Where's your Time-Turner?" interrupted Harry. "My Time-Turner? Harry that was never mine, I got it off the Ministry." Harry tried to leave to go upstairs to the next level in the Ministry but Hermione stopped him, "Harry, why would you want the Time-Turner...?" Then she understood, "Harry, you don't know if that'll work. You know how easily you could end up killing your past self or your..." "I NEED THAT TIME-TURNER NOW!" shouted Harry at the top of his lungs. Hermione stepped back in shock, "Harry...all right, I'll go get it for you, but only on the condition that one of us goes with you." Harry balled his fists, "All right just get it for me!"  
  
Hermione came back fifteen minutes later, "It's done." She was holding a tiny hourglass charm on a necklace in her hand; the Time-Turner. He snatched it out of her hands and put it around his neck, "How many turns will it take?" She shrugged, "It happened last night, or rather about twelve hours ago, so...six?" He was about to start turning it when she pulled on the necklace and put it around her own neck, "You remember what I said. One of us goes with you so it's gonna be me." He frowned, "Fine. Whatever." He turned the hourglass six times and soon they were watching themselves Apparate in Hogsmeade. Their group split up and they watched Harry, Severus, Remus, Sirius, and Draco enter the Three Broomsticks. About half an hour later Severus came out, and they watched him until he reached the edge of Hogsmeade, then they came up behind him. "Hi Severus, how's it going?" said Harry, trying to sound normal although he was shaking with happiness from seeing him alive again. "Oh, hi Harry, I thought you were staying in the Three Broomsticks," said Severus.  
  
Harry and Hermione glanced at each other, "Er, Severus, we need to have a talk," said Harry. "Sure, we can talk while we walk up to Hogwarts," said Severus. So the two of them told him exactly what happened; how he was about to be killed, and what Harry did to try to undo it. Severus stopped walking, "So let me get this straight; I was run through with a sword by Voldemort, who is currently in the Forbidden Forest?" Harry let out a sigh of frustration, "Look if you don't believe if us that's fine. We'll put a Memory Charm on you, hide you in one of the greenhouses, then kill Voldemort on our own." He laughed, "No, I didn't say I didn't believe you. I'm just...trying to take it all in. It's not something that happens every day you know." "Great," said Harry, "now if you'll excuse me we have a seriously bad wizard to kill." "Wait a minute, we can't just go charging in there," said Hermione. "Right we've got the best witch in the world with us, the best Headmaster Hogwarts has ever seen, and me. I think we can handle knocking him out until we get him to the Dementors," said Harry indignantly.  
  
Hermione let out a sound of disbelief, "You perplex me."  
"Really?"  
"Yes."  
"Good now let's get moving."  
  
They spotted Voldemort in the woods, in the exact same area Harry had seen him in before. Harry told Severus to go around and get Voldemort from behind, and he followed willingly. Harry and Hermione stepped into the circle of light, "Hello," said Harry politely, although he was seething with hatred. "Well look who it is," said Voldemort, "the Boy Who Lived, and soon to be the Boy Who Died if I have anything to say about it." "You don't," said Hermione coldly. "Oh but I do," said Voldemort almost playfully, "especially since he's walked right into my hands. What to do though? Kill him now or kill him later? Or perhaps kill his friend Granger and leave him to cry over her dead body?" For Harry, that did it. He charged Voldemort so fast Voldemort didn't know what to do as he was bowled over. Severus, in the meantime, was watching from the woods, and he finally ran in and stopped Harry, having to virtually drag him off.  
  
"Hermione, do it!" shouted Severus as Voldemort slowly got up and pulled out his wand. "OBLIVIATE!" screamed Hermione, fixating Voldemort with a rather large Memory Charm. He fell to the ground, his head spinning dizzily, "Wha-? Where am I?" he said slowly. "Excellent! Let's go!" said Severus, picking him up and Apparating to the Ministry. Hermione helped Harry up, "You okay?" "I'm great now that we've got him now let's follow him shall we? Aparecium!" and they were both gone.  
  
***  
  
Voldemort awoke very slowly, "Where...?" he said groggily. He could feel something around his thin wrist; it felt slimy. He looked down to see a disgusting, glistening hand locked around his wrist; another one was around his neck. He looked up in horror to see a Dementor over him; its hood fell back to reveal a ragged, gaping hole. Voldemort opened his mouth and screamed, trying to squirm out of its deadly grip at the same time, but it was far too strong. It began to suck, and Voldemort could feel something being pulled out from inside of him, somewhere around the area of his heart. He watched as a wispy gray cloud was sucked from him, and then all feeling in his body was gone.   
  
The Dementor tossed him limp to the ground. Harry, Hermione, and Severus watched with disgust; they'd been witnesses to the whole thing. The Dementor slid its hood back up again and glided away; Harry was still trying to hold onto a happy thought as it did. "It's over," said Harry, nudging Voldemort's unconscious body with his foot, "finally over with." Severus sat down on the ground outside the Ministry, staring at the night sky, "For now, yes." "What do you mean for now?" said Hermione. "Voldemort may be gone, Hermione, but...there's always someone to take his place. For the longest time it was Grindelwald, but Dumbledore defeated him in 1945. Then it was Voldemort, and now it's...well, we shall find out who is next." Harry let out a sigh of frustration, "There's no beating this is there?" "No Harry, there isn't," said Severus, "as long as there has been Light there's been Dark. But while the odds may seem unbeatable for a time, there is always someone to pull through and vanquish scum like Voldemort."  
  
"People like us, you mean," said Hermione with a shrug. "Yes Hermione," said Severus, staring at the stars, "people like us."  
  
***  
  
Harry and Hermione got back into Hermione's office at six the next morning, replacing themselves when they saw them leave to use the Time-Turner. "We're very lucky you know," said Hermione when she'd come back from returning the Time-Turner. "We weren't caught by anyone at all and Severus believed that we were...well us. And not some sort of Dark magic going on. You have no idea what can happen with Time-Turners if you're not careful." Harry shrugged, "Come on Hermione, we're unstoppable. We've used that thing twice without a problem, defeated a three-headed dog, helped Sirius and Buckbeak escape, survived the Heir of Slytherin...we can do anything." Hermione laughed, "You know on all of those occasions that was mostly your own part. I think you're the one who can do anything." He smiled weakly, "Not without you and Ron."  
  
So Harry went back to the school and told Ginny all about what had happened. She could barely believe any of it, and was quite angry with Harry for not letting her in on it; "I get so worried about you," she said. "Always off nearly getting yourself killed...try to be careful, alright?" He shrugged as he sat down on his bed, "Ginny, I am the definition of careful."  
  
Jack, Harry, and Sirius were a little disappointed about being left out of the adventure. "We could have helped you know!" said Sirius indignantly. "Yeah, trying to punch him in the face, right?" said Harry with a grin. "I was thinking more on the lines of hexing him," said Jack with a frown. 'Three first years trying to defeat Voldemort,' thought Harry, 'Mm. Sounds familiar.'  
  
For once peace and quiet seemed to be at Hogwarts, except for a few practical jokes by the new generation of troublemakers known as Jack, Harry, and Sirius. That Christmas morning Jack was opening a present, when something fluid and silvery slid out. "Hey, that's not a...?" said Harry slowly. Jack picked it up; it looked like a cloak. "A what Harry?" said Jack as he tried it on. He disappeared beneath it, leaving only his head floating in midair. "It is! It's an Invisibility Cloak!" said Harry with amazement, "They're really rare!" "Oh man, now we can get down to the kitchens without getting caught!" said Sirius happily, "But who sent it to you?" Jack pulled off the Cloak and looked at the wrapping paper; then he noticed that he hadn't received just an Invisibility Cloak. A piece of parchment was pinned onto another larger piece of parchment; he read it out loud.  
  
Tap this parchment with your wand and say, 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good,' and something called the Marauder's Map will be revealed. It will show you everything in the school. When you are finished tap it again and say, 'Mischief managed.' This and your new Invisibility Cloak should come in handy over your next six years at Hogwarts. Use them well.  
  
  
"Wow," said Sirius, "you are really lucky." Jack tried out the Marauder's Map; it worked like a charm.  
  
***  
  
Harry awoke in the middle of the night and got out of bed to find Severus at the door, holding Jack, Harry, and Sirius by their collars. "Professor Potter, I believe one of these belongs to you?" said Severus. Jack looked at him guiltily, "Sorry." "Now what?" said Harry as he pulled on his glasses, "Getting into Hogsmeade again no doubt? Or perhaps off to bother the house elves?" Sirius tried to stifle back his laughter, "You tell him Harry. It was your idea." Severus released the three of them from his iron grip, "Try setting the bushes on fire." "You what?! You were setting bushes on fire?!" exclaimed Harry. "And blowing up toilets," added Sirius. Harry balled his fists furiously, "I am very disappointed in all three of you. Fifty points from Gryffindor, and a detention for each of you." The three looked downcast, "I'm sorry Professor," said Sirius quietly. Harry said nothing for a moment, "Go to bed. All three of you. And any further nighttime wanderings will garner more than just one detention and fifty house points." The three shuffled off down the hall, looking very guilty and heartbroken about their detention and lost house points.  
  
The moment they were far away and down the bend in the corridor, however, Harry began to laugh. "I never blew up toilets or lit bushes on fire when I was there," he said merrily. "And you laugh about it," said Severus with a shake of his head. "Excuse me, but it simply reminds me so much of the things Ron, Hermione, and I used to do," said Harry. Severus shrugged, "Wait till you tell James. He'll go into a laughing fit; him and those Weasley twins too." Harry grinned, "I think this really does run in the family."  
  
***  
  
James, Sirius, Remus, and the Weasley twins all got a big kick out of Harry's story. "Fifty points though? Wasn't that a bit...harsh?" said James. "Harsh? Should have taken a hundred," said Harry, "because after all, I'm their head of house. I have to discourage anymore nighttime wanderings; I suppose I'm trying to be the next Professor McGonagall." "Well it's not working too well, trust me," said George, "she was a lot scarier."  
  
***  
  
Harry leaned over the rail of the Astronomy Tower; sometimes he came up here just to think. He'd been up here for a while now; at least an hour, and he knew Ginny was probably worried, wondering where he'd gone. It was dusk now, and he knew the fireworks would be starting up soon; as an end of the year special, Severus had been persuaded into having very magical fireworks. It was mostly Jack, Harry, and Sirius that had done the convincing, and they'd practically done the fireworks themselves; how they knew how to make them, Harry didn't ask. Another hour passed, and Ginny came to find him; she left after a while though when he said he preferred to be alone. She knew better than to really bother him about it; even she knew needed to be alone sometimes. He sat down on the Tower and watched the fireworks explode around him; there were dragons and knights to slay them, while there would be gigantic butterflies elsewhere. "Should do this every year," said a voice behind him; Harry looked back to see Severus standing there. "Would have been nice to have them around when I was here," said Harry as he sat down beside him.  
  
"I'm just a little apprehensive about letting the three of them make this whole thing up. Only first-years, after all," said Severus. "Only first-years," muttered Harry, "slew a basilisk by the time I was a second-year, so I think they can handle a little fireworks display." "Well you're not exactly normal Harry," said Severus, "you've been through more than any of us can say. But I'm not too worried about it though." Harry stared at a large figure that had sprung from a rocket; it was a man wearing glasses, holding a sword, and fighting something. It looked like another person, with red, gleaming eyes. "That's you," said Severus suddenly; and so it was. It was Harry beating Voldemort, and there was a Dementor that had just arisen from another rocket. "I'm gonna make them promise not to do things like that anymore," said Harry; "Can't have violent things like that happening around school." "After everything that ever happened at this school to you, you're saying you don't want violent things happening around here. Well good for you; took you only thirty-five years or so to figure it out," said Severus sarcastically.  
  
"You said you weren't worried," said Harry.  
  
"I'm not."  
  
"Funny," said Harry as he thought about the new Voldemort-free world around them, "neither am I."  
  
The End  
  
Das ist alles! The series is finally finished, and now I can sleep easier at night! What did you think, Krystle? -RH- 


End file.
